Driver three times over drink limit

THE man driving the car that slipped off the algae-covered Buncrana pier into Lough Swilly was more than three times over the drink-driving limit, the inquest heard yesterday.

The evidence was given at the inquest into the deaths of five people in the tragedy on March 20, 2016.

The coroner’s court heard evidence from consultant pathologist Dr Katrina Dillon.

Ms Dillon said that she examined the body of the driver, Seán McGrotty, at Letterkenny University Hospital.

After various medical examinations which found lacerations as well as cuts to Mr McGrotty’s body, Ms Dillon said that death was due to drowning. However, she said that an examination of the body found that there was also a level of intoxication.

She said samples were taken from Mr McGrotty and then sent to the State Laboratory.

The results returned showed the driver of the Audi Q7 jeep had a blood-alcohol reading level of 159millilitres.

Ms Dillon said the drink-driving level in this case was 50milligrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood.

On cross-examination, Ms Dillon said she couldn’t say what level of impairment such a reading would have as it depended on each individual’s capacity.

‘I can’t say what level of impairment there was,’ she said.