Man disqualified for drink driving in early hour

A 27-year-old man was fined €400 and disqualified from driving for two years at Sligo District Court on Thursday. Garda Patrick Ruddy from Ballymote Garda Station told the court he was on duty at 1:£0am on December 25 th 2017 when he spotted a Silver Toyota Corolla being driven in front of the patrol car at Knockbeg, Collooney, on the N17 at 130km/h in a 100km/h zone.

Garda Ruddy told the court weather conditions were particularly poor and it was raining heavily at the time and visibility was poor. He pulled the car over after the Tubberbride roundabout and he got a strong smell of alcohol off the driver whose speech was also slurred.

The driver, Donal Byrne with an address at Kiltipper Gate, Kiltipper, Tallaght, Co Dublin was charged with drink driving at Rathrippon, Collooney, on the date in question. His alcohol reading was 22mgs/100mls breath. Judge Kevin Kilrane convicted Byrne, fined him €400 and disqualified him for 2 years. Mr Gerard McGovern (solicitor) represented him.