Fine and road ban for Longford drug driver

A defendant who pleaded guilty to drug driving and driving without documentation was banned from the road for two years and must pay fines totalling €650.

Emil Capota (36) of 5 Ashbrook Crescent, Boeshill, Mohill, Leitrim was stopped by Gardaí at Easker South, Ballinalee Longford on May 12, 2022. Arising from this stop the defendant was charged with driving without a drivers licence, insurance and driving under the influence of cannabis.

Sergeant Enda Daly said at 11am on the date of the incident officers on mobile patrol stopped a Ford Focus driven by Mr Capota. Although the defendant presented a full Irish drivers license it transpired he was disqualified at the time.

Speaking to the driver the officers noted his speech was slurred and his eyes were glassy and bloodshot. The Gardaí suspected Mr Capota had been consuming cannabis and he was brought to the local Garda station where a subsequent blood sample showed he had an excessive level of cannabis in his system.

Judge Bernadette Owens was told the defendant had six previous convictions, the most recent resulting in Capota being disqualified from driving for six months in the previous November.

Solicitor for the defendant, Frank Gearty, said the six months would have concluded in a matter of days when his client was stopped. He said Mr Capota wished to apologise for the disrespect he showed for the court order.

Mr Gearty explained that on the morning his client had “a family issue” and he undertook to drive to his nation's embassy in Dublin “in a misplaced family necessity”. Mr Gearty said: “He took a chance.”

The solicitor told how the defendant has worked as a gardener and handyman, but is currently on social welfare. The father of three children is originally from Romania, but has lived in Ireland since 2006.

“He is deeply regretful of what happened. He took cannabis two days earlier. He accepts he was disqualified and knows he will suffer from a further disqualification. He had insurance, but because his licence was invalid it was also invalid,” Mr Gearty said.

Judge Owens registered a conviction, imposing a fine of €400 with eight months to pay for the drug driving, and a disqualification of two years.

For the no insurance charge a further fine of €250 was handed down, again with eight months to pay. That offence also attracted a disqualification for two years, the no licence charge was taken into consideration.