At Ballyhaunis District Court a 32-year-old father of five was given a two year driving ban and fined a total of €800 after pleading guilty to charges of drunk driving, driving without insurance, having no driving licence, and giving a false name to gardai.
Patrick Lawrence, 40 Cherryvale, Ballyhaunis pleaded guilty to all charges in court. Garda William Hickey told the court that on February 15 2009 he was on patrol in a Garda car in Cloonfad, Ballyhaunis, and saw a car being driven suspiciously. He followed the car and saw it pull up in the car park of a pub in Cloonfad. After speaking to the driver the garda suspected he had been drinking, arrested Lawrence and he brought him to Tuam Garda station where Lawrence gave a breath sample of 48mgs of alcohol per 100ml of breath.
Lawrence refused to undertake to produce his driving licence and insurance to a Garda station within 10 days and gave the name Terry Maughan on the night in question. It later emerged that it was a false name, but the gardai were satisfied as Lawrence produced a passport.
Judge Mary Devins, convicted and fined him €350 for drink driving and disqualified him from driving for two years. For having no insurance she convicted and fined him €400 and disqualified him from driving for one year to be served concurrently, for having no driving licence she convicted and fined him €50, and for giving a false name, Judge Devis took it into consideration.
