Drink driving in Childers Park, Thurles

A Thurles man who drove with excess alcohol in his system, was disqualified from driving for two years at Thurles District Court.

Garda James Maher told Judge Elizabeth MacGrath that he was on patrol at Childers Park, Thurles, on September 21, 2020, at about 1am, when he observed a silver Volkswagen being driven towards Bohernanave, Thurles, in front of him.

The car had no lights on, and it “took a swerve in the middle of the road.” Garda Maher activated his blue flashing lights to motion the vehicle to pull over. The driver, Harry Fitzgibbon, of Allendale, Dublin Road, Thurles, “got out of the driver’s side and began to walk away.”

“I called him back and he turned around,” said Garda Maher. There was a strong smell of intoxicating liquor from Mr Fitzgibbon’s breath, his eyes were glazed, and he was unsteady on his feet.

Mr Fitzgibbon was taken to Nenagh Garda Station as the Evidenzer machine in Thurles was out of order.

Mr Fitzgibbon provided a sample of breath which exceeded the legal limit of 22 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath.

Judge MacGrath fined Mr Fitzgibbon €300, eight months to pay, and imposed a mandatory driving ban of two years.