Judge does not accept drink driver’s version of events

AN Enniscorthy man who claims he wasn’t driving his van on the night he was arrested by gardaí for drink driving, pleaded not guilty to the charge against him at the District Court.

Robert Doran (61) of 6 Arduain, Greenville, Enniscorthy, was charged with drink driving at Convent Road on July 21, 2015.

Garda Madeline Holmes gave evidence of attending the scene of a single vehicle road traffic accident at 1.20 a.m. She came across a white Transit van on the right hand side of the road where it had collided with the footpath. She talked to Mr Doran and said that he had told her he hit the kerb and the tyre blew out. At that point she noticed a smell of alcohol and that Doran was unsteady on his feet. He was arrested and brought to the station where he returned a reading of 58mg of alcohol per 100ml of breath.

Taking to the stand, Doran said that his friend, who has since passed away, was the one who driving the van on the night in question and he complied with the gardaí because ‘ that’s the kind of person I am’. He denied telling Garda Holmes that he hit the kerb and said he had said that ‘ the van hit the kerb’.

‘It appears Mr Doran is a very decent man, but I don’t accept his evidence or recollection of the incident,’ said Judge Staunton. ‘I accept Garda Holmes’ evidence and I must convict.’

He then opted to hand Doran a €500 fine and a two year driving ban, postponed until November 1.