Man fined after driving charge

MOTORIST CROSSED WHITE LINE ‘NUMBER OF TIMES’

A 54-year-old builder who was seen by gardaí to drive into the path of oncoming traffic, has been fined €1,000 for dangerous driving.

However, Martin Browne, St. Malachy’s Avenue, Tullyallen, escaped a disqualification for the offence which occurred in Drogheda on 11 January last.

He was also accused of drink driving on the same occasion, and that charge was dismissed by Drogheda court after Judge Coughlan agreed with a defence application that Browne, a father of five, was arrested under the wrong Road Traffic Act.

Gda. Declan Byrne gave evidence that he was in a marked patrol car, driven by Gda. Aidan Grier, on 11 January, 2018.

As they travelled along North Road, closes to Mother Hughes’ public house and at a severe bend, a grey Volkswagen Passat started coming towards them.

The driver of that car was looking down to his feet. He crossed over a continuous white line and was coming straight for the garda vehicle.

Gda. Byrne said they turned and followed the Passat out of town. He saw it cross the continuous white line and into the path of oncoming traffic a number of times.

They managed to stop this car at a station.

There was a smell of drink from the driver, his eyes were bloodshot and he was extremely unsteady on his feet, continued Gda. Byrne who arrested the man, Martin Browne, at 4.35pm.

The defendant refused to sign the custody record at the garda station, and subsequently gave a breath sample which showed a reading of 87.

Gda. Grier told the court he took the breath sample from the accused and that it provided a reading of 57mg of alcohol per 100ml of breath.

Barrister David Staunton submitted his client was arrested under the wrong Act and that this was not a case involving a reading of 57.

The judge asked that the DAR (digital audio recording) of the evidence be played back, and afterwards dismissed the drink driving charge.

Mr. Staunton sought the dangerous driving be reduced to a lesser charge. He said the defendant is back in work as a builder.

Garda Inspector Ronan Carey said the prosecution was not prepared to do that, and Judge Coughlan remarked it did come across to him as dangerous driving.

A €1,000 fine was imposed for dangerous driving, but the judge said he would not disqualify Martin Browne. filling