A Rahoon woman, who was nearly three times over the legal limit, received a six-year disqualification after smashing into three parked vehicles in Spiddal village while drunk behind the wheel of her hired car.
Maura Thornton (27 ) with an address at 182 Gleann Dara, Rahoon, Galway, was summoned to appear at Galway District Court this week for drink driving, driving without insurance and a driving licence and failure to produce both documents on March 23, 2007, at Spiddal.
Inspector Michael O’Dwyer told the court that Garda Waldron was called to the scene of a road accident in Spiddal village where he observed a motor car “motionless” on the road. There was also damage to three parked cars.
He arrested the defendant on suspicion of drunk driving and she later gave an alcohol reading of 98 mgs per 100ml of breath. A demand was also made for her to produce a driving licence and insurance but these were not produced.
The court also heard how the defendant had been disqualified from driving for four years in September, 2007, at Spiddal District Court.
Judge Mary Fahy noted that the defendant had a “serious alcohol problem” and told her that it was in her best interest not to drive.
The defendant informed Judge Fahy that there was insurance for the car as it was hired out. She also said that she did have a driving licence.
For drink driving the defendant was convicted and fined €500 with five months to pay and disqualified from driving for a period of six years. The other matters were taken into consideration.
The defendant was also facing charges of unlawfully possessing a knife and theft of DVDs and flowers, worth €53.79, at Tesco in Galway Shopping Centre on May 24, 2008. For these offences the defendant was remanded on continuing bail to December 8, 2008.
