Apprentice welder guilty of drink driving

AN apprentice welder who admitted drunk driving was put off the road at Arklow District Court recently.

Jack Murphy (23), Kiltilahane, Gorey, pleaded guilty to a charge of drink driving and driving without insurance at Croneyhorn Lower, Carnew, on November 24, 2018. Three other charges were withdrawn by the prosecution.

The court heard that gardai were called to a road traffic collision at Croneyhorn Lower on the date in question and formed the suspicion that the defendant was drunk. A sample gave a result of 67mg per 100 ml.

Murphy had been given the keys to the vehicle to get a coat from it but had not been given permission to drive. He had made a payment of €15,000 to the person to replace the car and had no previous convictions, the court heard.

Solicitor John O’Gorman told the court that the defendant was from a good family and had no previous convictions. He had not come to the attention of gardaí before this incident nor since it. Murphy had been attending his grandmother’s funeral on the day and had been drinking. He paid €15,000 to replace the car within one week of the incident through a loan from his parents. He was a second-year apprentice welder earning €300 a week, of which he paid €140 to his parents to cover loan repayments and household expenses. Mr O’Gorman asked the court for leniency.

Judge David Kennedy imposed a three-year disqualification and a €750 fine with six months to pay.