Solicitor pleads ‘excess of exuberance’ for Limerick motorist guilty of multiple offences
A 25-year-old man, whose career up to this had been “blameless”, pleaded guilty to three driving charges at Newcastle West court.
“I can only describe it as an excess of exuberance,” the man’s solicitor, Bernard Cunnane, said in his defence.
Before the court was Michael Cotter of Dr Newman Place, Dromcollogher who pleaded to a charge of driving with excess alcohol, with driving a dangerous and defective vehicle and with driving without insurance at Ballylyny, Rathkeale on August 16, 2020.
Inspector Pat Brennan told the court that on that date, Sergeant Noel Barry observed a vehicle being driven erratically. The sergeant put on his blue lights and siren but the vehicle failed to stop and travelled a number of kilometres before attempting to turn. The car crashed into bushes.
A blood sample for the driver, Mr Cotter, gave a reading of 182mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood. There were a number of bald tyres on the car, the court was told.
Pleading for his client, Mr Cunnane said he apologised to the garda for the incident.
He described his employment prospects as bleak, as he drove plant machinery for a living.
Judge Carol Ann Cooligan fined Mr Cotter €500 for driving without insurance and €350, with a disqualification from driving for one year, for driving with excess alcohol.
The defective vehicle charge was taken into consideration.