A 35-year-old woman who was detected driving four times over the limit was disqualified from driving for three years this week.
Ballina District Court on Tuesday heard that Mairead Smith, The Quay, Ballina, was observed driving on November 21 2009 at 3.14am on Foxford Road by Garda Michael Flaherty. Smith failed a roadside breath test and a blood sample later provided showed a concentration of 324mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood.
Peter Loftus, solicitor for the defendant, said that since this night Smith has given up alcohol and has treated her addiction. The defendant is now attending a fitness course in DCU, and Mr Loftus asked Judge Mary Devins for a postponement of the disqualification due to the fact that the defendant needs her car to travel for college exams.
Judge Devins convicted and fined Smith €500 and disqualified her from driving for three years; with the disqualification to come into effect on December 1 2010.
