A 44-year-old married father of seven, who collided into the rear of two parked vehicles, was convicted of drink driving and for not having tax on his vehicle at Ballina District Court on Tuesday.
Garda Fiona Reilly outlined to the court that on September 26 2008 at 9.40pm she attended the scene of a three car traffic accident at Cloonawillin, Crossmolina. Noel Kearns, Carrowkeel, Castlehill, Ballina, had crashed a van into the back of two vehicles which were parked on the hard shoulder. Kearns was arrested for the suspicion of drink driving with a subsequent reading from the intoxilyser machine showing a reading of 70mg of alcohol per 100ml of breath. The van which Kearns was driving had not been taxed for two years prior to the accident.
The defendant, who is in receipt of Social Welfare and Farm Assist, was convicted and fined €700 by Judge Mary Devins for drink driving and disqualified from driving for three years. For not having tax on his vehicle, Kearns was convicted and fined €400.
