Councillor gets drink driving ban

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/northern_ireland/7196903.stm

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Ballymena councillor Davy Tweed has been banned from driving for a year after being convicted of drink driving.

Tweed, from Ballymoney, was also fined £250 at North Antrim Magistrates Court in Coleraine.

The former DUP man and ex-Irish rugby international admitted a charge of driving with excess alcohol.

The court was told Tweed - who left the DUP last year - was stopped driving at 3am on September 22 last year at Carnany Drive in Ballymoney.

The father of six had an alcohol/breath reading of 52/100, 17 above the legal limit of 35.

A defence solicitor said the reading was "not the highest" and said Tweed had taken "a few drinks" earlier in the night but thought it was safe to drive when he got behind the wheel.

Richard Wilson, resident magistrate, certified Tweed as suitable to take a course for drink drivers which, if successfully finished, would reduce the ban to nine months.