Northern Irish boss’s ban after drink-driving charge

Michael O’Neill admits being almost three times limit when stopped

Northern Ireland football manager Michael O’Neill has been banned from the road and fined after pleading guilty to drink-driving.

Edinburgh Sheriff Court heard the 48-year-old former Dundee United star was caught by police on the outskirts of the city at about 1am on September 10 while just under three times the legal drink-drive limit.

Prosecutor Chloe Shoniwa told the court that officers had “reason to stop” O’Neill – heavily tipped as the next Scotland manager – as he drove on the Edinburgh city bypass between Lothianburn and Straiton.

They breathalysed him and he was found to have a breath alcohol level of 65mcg compared with the legal limit of 22mcg.

Solicitor James Mulgrew, representing O’Neill, told the court: “This was simply a bad error of judgment on the part of Mr O’Neill.”

Mr Mulgrew said O’Neill is “contrite” and had pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity.

He urged the sheriff to take into account that the football manager has held a driving licence for 31 years and also the distance he covers each year.

Sheriff Thomas Welsh QC said O’Neill was three times over the Scottish drinkdrive limit.

He told him: “You do not have a record for this type of thing. I am satisfied that you pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity.

“You deserve credit for that as you have not wasted the court’s time.”

Sheriff Welsh banned O’Neill from driving for 16 months and fined him £1,300, giving him 28 days to pay.

He said that if the former Hibernian star had not pleaded guilty and the case had gone to trial he would have fined him £2,000.

Sheriff Welsh added that the driving ban had been cut from 20 months to 16.

He said O’Neill could further reduce the ban by a quarter by completing a drink-drive rehabilitation course, which his solicitor said he is willing to do.

O’Neill made no comment to reporters as he left the court.

He became manager of Northern Ireland in 2012 and has led the side to the last 16 in their first-ever European Championship finals appearance in France at Euro 2016.

The team are due to play Switzerland in the play-offs for the World Cup in Russia next year.

Picture: PA. Northern Ireland football manager Michael O’Neill leaves Edinburgh Sheriff Court where he pleaded guilty to drink-driving after being stopped on the city’s bypass.