‘Someone could have been killed’ says Judge

A WOMAN who was caught on two separate occasions driving while drunk to such an extent that ‘she could barely be conscious’ in the estimation of a district court judge, was put off the road for 14 years and fined €700.

“Someone that intoxicated, the danger there is that someone could be killed. Then everyone would be screaming and shouting, ‘why aren’t we doing something about it?’,” Judge David Waters remarked after hearing the evidence against Lisa Pike, 7 Kilcaragh, Lixnaw, at a sitting of Listowel District Court on Thursday, May 17, last.

Ms Pike (49), a mother of five, pleaded guilty to charges of drunken driving in Finuge, Lixnaw on October 22 of 2015 and drunken driving on November 17 of 2016 on the Oakpark Road in Tralee.

The court heard that Ms Pike returned a breath reading of 126mcg per 100ml of breath when tested following the Finuge incident; and a reading of 124mcg per 100 ml of breath in the incident on the Oakpark Road.

She had no previous convictions by the time of the most recent offence. However, Ms Pike was put off the road for three years and fined €300 for drunken driving, at Tralee District Court on March 26 last, the Court heard.

Solicitor Karen Carmody said her client had a ‘significant alcohol problem’ in the past, but having attended Cuan Mhuire and a HSE addiction counselling service in Tralee is no longer drinking. Ms Carmody said her client ‘deeply regretted’ the decision she made to drive on each occasion.

“Someone that intoxicated, the danger there is that someone could be killed. Then everyone would be screaming and shouting ‘why aren’t we doing something about it... someone with 126/124 of breath can be barely conscious,” the Judge remarked. Ms Carmody said her client accepted how serious the matter was. Ms Pike was fined €300 and put off the road for six years on the Finuge charge; and fined €400 and disqualified from driving for eight years on the Tralee incident.