A Swinford woman who told the court she was “foolish” after being caught drink driving was fined €500 and disqualified from driving for two years at Ballyhaunis District Court this week. Caroline Leonard, Barnacouge, Swinford, was stopped by Garda Noelle Murphy on February 23 2009 at 11.10pm at Gowlan, Kilkelly. She was arrested by Garda Murphy and brought to Ballina Garda station where she gave a urine sample which had a reading of 174mg of alcohol per 100ml of urine.
The court was told that Leonard had returned from holidays in London and stupidly went drinking when she came back. The 39-year-old mother of two also told the court that she was currently undertaking a master’s course in hairdressing which would be finished in December and asked the court to not bring into force any driving ban until she had completed the course. Judge Mary Devins agreed to not bring the ban into force until January 4 2009 and convicted and fined Leonard €500 and disqualified her from driving for two years.
