A drunk man who sped off from gardaí at 100km through Ballina town and then led gardaí on a chase was disqualified from driving for a total of four years.
Gordon McBrearty, 11 An Sruthan, Castlebar was before Ballina District Court this week on two separate drink driving charges; a dangerous driving charge and a failing to stop for a garda charge.
On December 6 2009 at 3am, Garda Pauric Kelly observed a Toyota Yaris emerge from a car parking space on Pearse Street with no lights on. McBrearty, who was driving, failed to indicate when he made a turn. The lights and sirens were activated on the Garda car, however the defendant picked up speed. On Clare Street, the car crossed over the continuous white line and travelled at 100km through the streets of Ballina.
The car left the area of Ballina and continued to travel at speed. McBrearty failed to stop for a Garda checkpoint and the Garda car at the checkpoint had to move as gardaí feared that the defendant was going to drive into them. The car eventually came to a stop. A blood sample was later provided by McBrearty which showed a concentration of 136mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood.
On May 4 of this year, Garda John Barrett was on duty at 1.55am on Cathedral Road, where he observed the defendant drive at speed. The car almost collided with a traffic island at a junction. McBrearty was stopped and he failed a road side breath test. At the Garda station the defendant provided a breath sample which showed 56mg of alcohol per 100ml of breath.
McBrearty, a separated father of two, who is a student in GMIT, has one previous road traffic conviction for careless driving.
For drink driving in December, Judge Mary Devins convicted and fined McBrearty €500 and disqualified from driving for two years. For dangerous driving the defendant was convicted and fined €300 and disqualified for two years concurrent. For failing to stop for gardaí McBrearty was convicted and fined €200 and disqualified for one year concurrent. For drink driving on May 4 the defendant was convicted and fined €750 and disqualified from driving for four years.
