Football manager banned from driving
● Northern Ireland boss pleads guilty in Edinburgh court to drink- driving
Northern Ireland football manager Michael O’neill has been banned from the road for 16 months and fined after pleading guilty to drink- driving.
The 48- year- old, who lives in Edinburgh and has been previously linked to the now vacant Scotland manager’ s job, was caught by police on the outskirts of the city about 1am on 10 September.
Edinburgh Sheriff Court heard Mr O’neill recorded a reading just under three times the legal drink- driving limit.
Prosecutor Chloe Shoniwa told the court that officers had “reason to stop” Mr O’neill as he drove on Edinburgh’ s city bypass between Lothianburn and Straiton.
Police breathalysed him and he was found to have a breath alcohol level of 65mcg compared with the Scottish legal limit of 22mcg.
Solicitor James Mu l grew, representing Mr O’neill, told the court: “This was simply a bad error of judgment on the part of Mr O’neill.”
Mr Mulgrew said his client was“contrite” and had pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity. He added :“He has no analogous record and no record to speak of, with only one limited endorsement currently on his licence.” Sheriff Thomas Welsh QC was urged to take into account the football manager having held a driving licence for 31 years.
Sheriff Welsh said Mr O’neill: “You do not have a record for this type of thing. I treat your prior record as being minor in the extent of this case.
“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 the penalty.
He said if the former Hibernian star had not pleaded guilt y and the case had gone to trial, he would have fined him £ 2,000.
Sheriff Welsh said Mr O’neill could further reduce the ban by a quarter by completing a drink- drive rehabilitation course, which his solicitor said his client was willing to do.
Mr O’ Neill madeno comment as he left the court.
A former Hibs player who made 112 appearances for the club from 1993- 96, Mr O’neill became manager of Northern Ireland in 2012 and has led the side to unprecedented success.
He guided them to the final 16 in their first- ever European Championship finals appearance in France at Euro 2016. The team is due to play Switzerland in the play-offs for the World Cup in Russia next year.
Mr O’neill, who signed a new four- year contract in March last year, distanced himself from his chances of managing Scotland a year ago.