Motorcyclist drove away from gardaí

A man who drove away from gardai on his motorbike was found to be over the drink driving limit.

James Gregory (55), 7 St Columcille’s Ter‑ race, Bray, appeared in Bray District Court on Thursday, November 14.

Garda Joseph Walsh said that he was on the N11 on Saturday, April 13, 2019.

He saw the motorbike travelling southbound at an excessive speed limit and signalled for the driver to pull over.

Grealy pulled in temporarily then pulled away again. Garda Walsh caught up with him past Jock’s in Kilpedder. The biker got off, held his hands up and said that he had no licence or insurance. He admitted he had drank six or seven pints of alcohol.

He was found to have 24 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath.

Solicitor Brendan Maloney said that his client does have an issue with alcohol.

He outlined a series of tragic circumstances, including the deaths of both his parents within a year and a half and the death of his brother.

He said his client’s house had burned down leaving him homeless, and he moved in with a friend in Bray. He said that for large periods of time his client would have no issue, then perhaps something would be a trigger.

Grealy is a bike enthusiast and had serviced the bike for someone, the court heard.

Judge David Kennedy said that this would be his fourth drink driving conviction so there would be a custodial element.

He handed down a fine of €500 for driving without a licence.

For driving without insurance he handed down a 10‑year disqualification and €1,500 fine. He was also fined €250 for failing to appear in court on a previous occasion.

For the drink driving he handed down a sentence of three months, and a one‑year ban.