A 41-year-old Ballina man who refused to provide a breath sample after he was arrested on suspicion of drink driving was disqualified from driving at Ballina District Court on Tuesday.
Sergeant James Murphy arrested Albert Patterson, Rehins, Ballina on Monday, May 18 this year at 2.10am in the area of Ballynaraha, Rehins on the suspicion of drink driving. At Ballina Garda Station, Patterson refused to provide a breath specimen and acted in a “difficult” manner.
Solicitor John Gordon said that the defendant, a carpenter, returned to Ireland a year ago from the UK and assists driving buses for his mother—something which he needs to do next month in order to cover his mother’s holidays.
Patterson, who has one previous conviction, undertook to the court that he would not drink between now and when the postponement of his disqualification would come into effect. Judge Mary Devins convicted and fined the defendant €600 and disqualified him from driving for four years, with the disqualification not to come into effect until September 2 2009.
