Two women who appeared before Judge Patrick Clyne at Ballina District Court on Tuesday were both equally guilty of a drink driving offence after one of them was arrested for being intoxicated while driving.
Niamh O’Connell and Tara Moyles both with a listed address of 19 Friars Court, Ballina were stopped by Garda Gerard Taheny on May 11 2008 at 8.30pm. Moyles, who was the driver of the car, was intoxicated with a subsequent blood analysis showing 142mg of blood per 100ml of urine. Moyles did not have any insurance when she was stopped and neither did O’Connor, who was the owner of the vehicle.
Defending solicitor John Gordon explained that Moyles (24 ) is unemployed and drove the car belonging to O’Connell (30 ) as a friend needed a lift. The reason she drove was that she thought O’Connell was too drunk to drive.
Judge Clyne said “it was the blind leading the blind” and said that why should one who was doing the other a favour receive a greater penalty, as the “other should be given a swipe as well”. According to the judge “both were blind drunk and both should take the hit”.
Moyles, who has no previous convictions , was convicted and fined €250 and disqualified for two years and one day for drink driving. Having no insurance was taken into consideration. The court heard that O’Connell, who had one previous conviction for having no insurance—something which the defendant denied—was convicted and fined €1,500 and disqualified for two years and one day. Recognisances were fixed.
