A 55-year-old man who after finishing his music gig at the Broadhaven Bay Hotel pulled out in front of gardaí while intoxicated was before Belmullet District Court this week.
At 5.47am on August 29 last year, Garda Martin McHugh observed Joseph Carey, Coolaba, Geesala, pull his van out from the entrance to the Broadhaven Bay Hotel while turning right in front of the Garda car, which forced Garda McHugh to apply the patrol car’s breaks.
The garda observed the defendant drive erratically as the car was veering from the centre to the left and almost collided with the left hand grass margin — however, it did not cross over to the other side.
After being stopped by gardaí the defendant was arrested on the suspicion of drink driving with a subsequent breath analysis showing 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of breath.
Judge Denis McLoughlin dismissed the dangerous driving charge against Carey but the defendant, who has previous convictions, was convicted and fined €500 and disqualified from driving for three years.
