Driver was drifting into the middle of the road

A 44-year-old man was seen by gardaí drifting into the middle of the road before they followed him and he was pulled over and then arrested for drink driving. Before Sligo District Court on Thursday was Luke Flynn of Ardline, Ballyfarnon, Co Roscommon.

Inspector Donal Sweeney said on December 11 th 2016 gardaí were on patrol from Ballygawley to Sooey when they saw a car drifting into the middle of the road. They caught up with it and pulled it over. The driver was subsequently arrested for drink driving and his reading was 269mg/100ml urine. He said the driver co-operated fully with gardaí.

He said he was disqualified for driving for four years in 2013 for failing to provide a sample. Defending solicitor Mr Gerard McGovern said his client who pleaded guilty to the drink driving charge was a farmer living in rural Ireland married with three children. He said the loss of his licence will cost him dearly and that he has got to learn he cannot go up the road a few miles for a drink. Judge Deirdre Gearty said he was facing the mandatory six-year disqualification as he was previously disqualified in 2013. Mr McGovern said it was his understanding it was outside the 3-year period under the legislation. The case was adjourned for a brief while the legislation was read through and then Mr McGovern told the Judge that it was a four year period under Section 65 of the 2010 Act.

He asked her to take into account the man’s circumstances as he was a young man from a farming background.

Judge Gearty said as the previous disqualification was over the 4-year period she disqualified him for three years and fined him €250.

She deferred the disqualification until September.