Drink driver who crashed on school run had taken alcohol to 'sweat out' infection

Drink driver who crashed on school run had taken alcohol to 'sweat out' infection Two children, believed to be aged three and eleven, were also in the car with him at the time. 19:13, 26 May 2026 A drink-driver who crashed with two children onboard had taken alcohol in a bid to “sweat out” a throat infection, a court heard today. Joji Thomas was nearly three times over the legal limit when he struck another vehicle outside a school in north Belfast, prosecutors said. The 46-year-old warehouse worker, of Cosgrave Court in Belfast, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol. Adjourning sentencing to next month, a judge imposed an interim ban on him getting back behind the wheel. Belfast Magistrates’ Court heard Thomas stumbled out of his Mitsubishi car after colliding with a parked vehicle in the Churchill Street area on April 27 this year. Two children, believed to be aged three and eleven, were also in the car with him at the time. Police called to the scene noticed Thomas had glazed eyes, slurred speech and smelt of liquor. He failed both a preliminary breath test and later evidential blood sample. Originally from India, Thomas and his family moved to Northern Ireland within the last four years. Defence solicitor Niall O’Neill told the court his client was ill and unable to take time off work on the day of the incident. “Colleagues had said he might be able to get rid of the throat infection by sweating it out through alcohol,” Mr O’Neill said. “He took that amateurish doctor’s advice, but had not eaten because of his illness.” District Judge Natasha Fitzsimons wanted to know if social services were now involved. “He has an eleven-year-old and a three-year-old in the car whilst he has (this) evidential reading in breath and he crashes the car,” she observed. Adjourning the case for pre-sentence reports, the judge added: “I would like to know a bit more about what’s going on.” Article continues below For all the latest news, visit the homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter