A 51-year-old Castlebar man who while setting up some kegs for his sister’s party, tried them out to make sure that they were in working order, was convicted of drink driving at Castlebar District Court on Wednesday.
Garda James O’Reilly, who was conducting an alcohol checkpoint at Springfield, Castlebar, on April 18 at 1.46am stopped Thomas McLoughlin 12B Garryduff, Castlebar. The defendant failed a roadside breath test and a subsequent breath test carried out at the Garda station showed 43mg of alcohol per 100ml of breath.
The court heard that McLoughlin, who is married and unemployed, did not realise that he was over the limit when he drove as he only tried some of the alcohol from the kegs and did not think he had consumed a lot.
Judge Mary Devins convicted and fined the defendant €200 and disqualified him from driving for one year.
