People in the Mullingar area are not getting the message about drink driving.
The number of cases before the recent sitting of the District Court raises the question whether people regard it as Judge John Neilan does – “by any standards a serious offence”.
That’s how he described drink driving as he disqualified a 22-year-old student of sociology, geography, and Irish who was seen speeding in the forecourt of a garage at 2.25am on May 3 this year.
A breath specimen recorded 62mg alcohol/100ml for single man Conor Clifford of 75 Spiddal Road, Ballyfermot in Dublin.
The first year student was fined €200 and his disqualification will come into place just after he finishes his exams on May 25.
Martin Daly of Cullionbeg, Mullingar was disqualified for one year after the 38-year-old was stopped on Main Street, Kinnegad on May 3 this year at 4.25am.
Mr Louis Kiernan said his client, a barber, was “very upset” since the incident and had thought he was okay to drive, as the low reading of 43mg/100ml breath showed. The father of four was fined €100.
Gary Tague was fined €750 and disqualified for three years for his “extremely high reading” of 106mg alcohol/100ml breath.
The 28-year-old of 5 Legan, Longford was stopped on Dominick Street on January 30.
Mr Louis Kiernan said the father of three, a machine operator, had no excuse for his behaviour but had been going through a break-up at the time and wasn’t feeling himself.
