Northern Ireland football manager Michael O'Neill fined and banned for drink driving

The Northern Ireland football manager Michael O’Neill has been fined and banned from driving after he admitted being three times over the drink drive limit.

Edinburgh Sheriff Court heard he was caught by police on the outskirts of the city at about 1am on September 10. Sheriff Thomas Welsh QC banned O’Neill from driving for 16 months and fined him £1,300.

Chloe Shoniwa, prosecuting, told the court that officers had "reason to stop" O'Neill as he drove on the Edinburgh city bypass.

They breathalysed him and found he had a breath alcohol level of 65mcg, compared to the legal limit in Scotland of 22mcg.

James Mulgrew, representing O'Neill, who lives in the capital, told the court that his client was guilty of a “bad error of judgement”, was “contrite” and had pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity.

He also urged the court to take into account the fact that the football manager had held a driving licence for 31 years.

Sheriff Welsh told the 48-year-old: "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."

He said O'Neill could reduce his driving ban by a quarter by completing a drink-drive rehabilitation course, which his solicitor said he was willing to do. O'Neill made no comment as he left the court.

He became manager of Northern Ireland in 2012 and guided his side to the last 16 in their first 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.

The manager signed a new four-year contract in March last year.