Dundalk court: Man fined for drink driving

A drunk driver who produced his passport when he was stopped by gardaí and drove off before they had finished speaking to him, was stopped a short distance away, Dundalk district court heard last week.

The investigating garda gave evidence that they had been on mobile patrol on the Dublin Road, Dundalk in the early hours of on October 16th 2021, when Jonathon Twohig (31) of Cranford Pines, Ballincollig, Co. Cork took a right turn onto Hoey's Lane “in a slow manner”, he drove across the continuous white line and the interior light of the car was on.

The defendant was subsequently stopped and after producing his passport as I.D, the garda said Mr. Twohig appeared to drive off and when he was stopped his eyes were glassy and 'he was quite on edge'.

The defendant failed a roadside breath test and when asked if he had been drinking, said he had six cans of Orchard Thieves four hours previously.

He subsequently failed a breath test at Dundalk Garda Station.

The defence solicitor said her client had no previous convictions and is in the process of completing a pipe fitting course and she asked the court to consider postponing his disqualification as his licence is necessary for that trade.

Judge Eirinn McKierna imposed a €300 fine and a two year ban, which was deferred for six months.