Man ‘went downhill’ after drink driving

A 52-year-old man whom his solicitor described as having gone downhill after his arrest fro drunk driving, committing a further two offences, has been fined €350 and banned for two years. Christopher Burke, Woodfield, Kilkelly admitted a charge of drunk driving on June 28th 2015 at Carrigeens, Dromore West. He was arrested after he was observed driving in an erratic manner on the N59 between Dromore West and Ballina.

He subsequently went on to commit an offence on February 14 th 2016 and on February 10 th 2017 he was banned for three years for drunk driving.

Mr Gerard McGovern, solicitor (defending) said the defendant seemed to go downhill after the first offence.

“He just went off the rails and allowed drink to get on top of him. He’s a fine, decent, hardworking man who has since got his life together and doesn’t drink anymore,” he said.

Mr McGovern submitted that had the offence before the court been the third one instead of the first the defendant would have been in difficulty as to his liberty.

Judge Conal Gibbons said the defendant had incurred two drink driving offences since the offence before the court and this was now his third conviction. He said the courts have to consider a custodial sentence for a third conviction in a short space of time.

“This is the first case in sequence, not the last and I accept the point made by Mr McGovern which gives me a way of moving back,” he said.