A drunk man who was observed to be sitting in his car with the engine on, while stationary in Hoban’s Car Park, Castlebar, was disqualified from driving for three years at this week’s sitting of Castlebar District Court.
Tomas Geiga, 54 Rockvale, Castlebar was observed by Garda John Paul Dunning in a car at 3.35am on November 21 2009. Gda Dunning noticed that the engine was running and the radio was on. The garda believed that the defendant was going to drive the car. The defendant was arrested and brought to the garda station where he provided a breath sample which showed a concentration of 70mg of alcohol per 100ml of breath.
The defendant, who represented himself, told the court that he could not get a taxi and therefore sat into his car so he could sleep.
The 35-year-old Lithuanian, who is married with one son, is employed in security in Belmullet.
Judge Mary Devins convicted and fined him €600 and disqualified him from driving for three years.
