Banned driver in car drinking from a can
A disqualified driver sitting in a parked car in the early hours drinking a can of beer in Riverside, drove away from gardaí with the lights off but was subsequently arrested at Pearse Road.
Shane Feeney (34) of Mountshannon, Bundoran Road, Sligo was charged with drink driving, driving while disqualified, no insurance and driving without a driver’s licence on February 19 th 2017 at Pearse Road.
There were further charges on July 17 th 2018 at Joe McDonnell Drive, Cranmore relating to Public Order and possession of herbal cannabis on the same date at Ballymote Garda Station.
The court heard he has since completed the prosocial driving course and a Probation Report was in court.
Sergeant Derek Butler said the defendant’s reading was 177mg/100mg of blood. On February 19 th 2017 gardaí were on duty in Sligo town at 3:45am.
They saw a red Toyota Yaris parked and facing in their direction at Riverside. There was a male driver drinking a can of beer and a man and woman in the car also.
The car then went in the direction of Abbey Steet, the partrol van went after it and the car then turned off its lights but continued driving.
It pulled in at Pearse Road. The driver, Shane Feeney was holding an open car of beer and was clearly drunk, the court heard. He was subsequently arrested.
He admitted having no driving licence or insurance and that he had been disqualified. He had 15 previous convictions, the last dating back to 2014.
Defending solicitor Mr Gerard McGovern said there was a plea to all of the charges in September 2018.
He said from reading the results of the prosocial and Probation Report it was clear the man has a very positive attitude now and he hasn’t driven since.
Mr McGovern said Feeney has adopted a more upright attitude and that he has a young family.
Judge Kevin Kilrane convicted him on the herbal cannabis charge and took it into consideration.
On the Public Order charge he convicted and handed down 240 hours of community service in lieu of two months imprisonment and took into consideration another charge for being drunk.
On the drink driving charge, he gave him 240 hours community service in lieu of a prison sentence and disqualified him from driving for 4 years.
He said the no insurance charge was also captured by that order.
He struck out the driving while disqualified charge. The total sentence was 240 hours of community service with a four year disqualification from driving.
Mr McGovern told the judge his client was most thankful for the way he dealt with it.