A man who drove his then girlfriend’s car whilst drunk, banned and uninsured was fined €500 and banned for a further six years in the District Court this week (April 28 ).
“If I’d any sense I’d’ve thrown them [the keys] on the roof where she couldn’t’ve got them,” said Mark Devanney (30 ) of Killyon Hill, Boavalley, Athlone.
Devanney, who was pleading guilty to the offence, was stopped in her car in Bonavalley on October 25 and when intoxilised at the garda station returned a reading of 89 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millitres of breath.
When his previous convictions were read to the court it was revealed he had been given a two year driving ban on September 29, 2008 for a similar offence.
His solicitor Mr Paul Connellan told the court that on the night in question he had been drinking with his then girlfriend who had had “considerably more to drink”.
“She had wanted to go to the garage for cigarettes,” said Mr Connellan, who went on to explain how Devanney tried to dissuade her because a sister of his had died in a car accident.
“I took the keys and hid them but she trashed the place looking for them,” said Devanney to the judge.
“If I’d any sense I’d’ve thrown them on the roof where she couldn’t’ve got them.”
“This is a ‘hands-up’ charge,” said Mr Connellan, referring to Devanney’s early plea.
“My client has had no car since his previous conviction.”
Judge David Anderson accepted this and decided not to jail Devanney, fining him €500 and extending his ban to six years instead.
