A Castlepark man who crashed a car through two walls and into someone’s front garden after arguing with his then girlfriend was fined more than €1,000 at Galway District Court this week and disqualified from driving for four years.
Patrick O’Brien (41 ) with an address at 144 Castlepark, Ballybane, pleaded guilty last Monday to dangerous driving, driving without insurance or a driving licence, and failure to produce both documents at Bohermore on November 9, 2008.
The court heard that a car had hit a wall at the junction of St Anthony’s Terrace in Bohermore and veered across the road where it hit another wall before coming to a stop. Inspector Pat McHugh added that half of the car had ended up in a private front garden and the fire brigade had be called out to the scene. O’Brien had been at a function earlier that day, had an argument with his then girlfriend, and had leaned over the seat before losing control of the vehicle.
Defence solicitor Sarah O’Dowd said that O’Brien, who is now single, has no previous convictions for road traffic offences and had made a full admission.
Ms O’Dowd explained that his then girlfriend had travelled to Galway for a christening and they had been invited to a party. The girlfriend had been “drinking shorts” and O’Brien, who only had one pint, felt that she was not able to drive so he took the keys.
For dangerous driving and driving without insurance Judge Mary Fahy imposed a total fine of €1,100 with five months to pay and disqualified O’Brien from driving for four years. Failure to produce insurance, driving without a licence, and failure to produce a licence were taken into account.
