Drink-driver who tried to make himself sick before breath test banned from roads

Marius Bosca at court yesterday A MAN being taken to a police station for allegedly driving with excess alcohol in Ballymena tried to make himself sick ahead of giving a breath sample, a court heard yesterday.

Marius Bosca (25), of Railway Street in the Co Antrim town, was arrested after driving on the Larne Road Link on October 13. A solicitor for the Public Prosecution Service told Ballymena Magistrates’ Court that police saw Bosca driving in excess of the speed limit at 1.15am.

When officers stopped the defendant, he failed a preliminary breath test.

The court heard that on the way to Antrim police station – around 11 miles away – officers saw him try to make himself vomit in the vehicle.

When processed at the station, he had an alcohol reading of 48mg — 13mg over the legal limit of 35mg.

Defence solicitor Stewart Ballentine said although his client had a few drinks earlier that evening, he did not believe he was over the limit.

The court heard Bosca had a previous conviction for being drunk in charge of a vehicle.

However, Mr Ballentine said that this was a “technical” offence when he was attacked in a bar in Ballymena and fled to take “refuge” in the car.

For the offence before the court yesterday, Bosca pleaded guilty and was banned from driving for a year. He was also fined £200.