A farmer from Ballycastle who, following a complaint from a member of the public in relation to his driving, was stopped and arrested for drink driving, was disqualified from driving for four years at Ballina District Court this week.
On June 20 this year at 1.15pm Garda Martin McNicholas received a call from the Garda station informing him that a member of the public had made a complaint about a car which was “all over the road” from Ballycastle to Killala.
Garda McNicholas observed the car at 1.30pm in Market Street, Killala where James Gaughan, Glenedagh, Ballycastle, was stopped.
The defendant, who was eating chips when he was stopped, had a strong smell of alcohol on his breath and staggered when he got out of his vehicle. Gaughan made no effort to blow in the roadside breath test, which he denies, and when brought to Ballina Garda Station the defendant indicated that he would provide a sample on the intoxilyser machine, but refused to provide a blood or urine sample as the intoxilyser machine was not working.
Gaughan told the court that on the day he consumed one pint and had crossed over the white lines a few times as he attempted to overtake a Jeep and trailer.
The single farmer, with no previous convictions, was convicted and fined €600 and disqualified from driving for four years, with the disqualification not to come into effect until January 31 2010. Recognisances were fixed.
