Drink-driver jumped wall and ran to escape arrest

A MAN who jumped over a wall and escaped into a building site rather than submit to arrest on suspicion of drink driving was fined more than €1,000 at Wexford District Court.

James Berry (34) of 14 Cromwellsfort Grove, Wexford was also disqualified from driving for four years as he was found guilty of driving while intoxicated, taking action to frustrate prosecution and escaping from lawful custody.

Evidence of what happened in The Faythe on January 19 in 2016 was provided by Garda Niall Brophy of the traffic corps.

He recalled being on mobile patrol at around 12.40 a.m when he spotted Berry’s white Toyota Hiace at a car park.

He signalled the van to stop and at first everything passed off normally.

The defendant emerged from his vehicle unsteady on his feet and slurred of speech.

He admitted having consumed a number of alcoholic drinks.

The garda felt he was too drunk to have proper control of a motor powered vehicle.

Berry was arrested but made an effort to leave the area, only to fall to the ground.

He then took out his mobile phone and called people to the scene.

He asked to be allowed urinate in the confines of the car park but Garda Brophy felt this would be grossly inappropriate.

The arrested man all of a sudden escaped on foot, running across the road towards a dwelling.

He cleared the wall of the house and could be seen in the garden.

He then came back over the wall and ran towards the Rockview Court housing estate.

He scaled another wall and disappeared into the grounds of the new garda station which was then a building site.

At this point, Garda Brophy decided not to pursue him any further as he did not feel it was safe to do so.

He retained the ignition key to Berry’s van which was returned after the defendant rang the following day to apologise for his behaviour.

In court, defending solicitor Tom Honan remarked on the sparse details written in the prosecuting garda’s notebook at the time.

Garda Niall Brophy responded that he had a very clear recollection of what happened that night, observing that what occurred was very unusual.

He told Judge John Cheatle that he had known Berry for some time prior to the incident at The Faythe and always found him decent to deal with.

Mr Honan told the court his client, who had no previous convictions, was in a relationship. He carried out occasional work and was involved in sport.

James Berry was convicted, with three fines of €350 each imposed along with the four-year driving ban.