Offaly driver who hit two cars had 'astronomical' blood alcohol level

A WOMAN who drove with what Judge Andrew Cody said was an “astronomical” level of alcohol in her blood received a road ban and suspended sentences after Tullamore District Court heard of two collisions near Daingean.

Judge Andrew Cody was told that Lesley Hayes (64), Down, Daingean, Tullamore was found in the front driver's seat of a vehicle at Killeshal, Daingean at 10.08pm on November 16 last year after a collision.

There was a smell of intoxicating liquor from the woman, Sergeant Brendan Kearns told the court, and gardai learned from another driver, Jack Pilkington, that after a Qashqai collided with him it drove off and collided with a second vehicle.

Ms Hayes was arrested and brought to Tullamore Garda Station where she was found to have a concentration of 225 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood.

Sergeant Kearns said Ms Hayes had previous convictions for drink-driving dating from 2007 and 2025. The issue of damages arising from the incidents before the court had been settled.

Aisling Maloney, defending solicitor, said Ms Hayes was a mother of six who lived in a rural area and was “completely broken” by what she had done and had not drunk since.

Ms Maloney said one of the woman's children had a disability and her client was a carer for her.

Referring to the two other drivers, Judge Cody remarked: “Aren't we very lucky we're not looking at Jack Pilkington RIP and Majella Quinn RIP?”

The judge added: “She wasn't satisfied with smashing into the first car, she kept going and smashed into the second one.”

Summonses before the court indicated that one of the hit and run offences occurred at Canal View, Daingean and involved a BMW X5 while the other offence involved a Volkswagen Polo.

Ms Maloney said Ms Hayes was very remorseful and had attended for counselling. She was not eating or sleeping.

Judge Cody said: “It's the third time around the drunken driving merry-go-round.”

Ms Maloney said her client was a particularly active member of the local community and a number of character references were handed into the court.

Judge Cody noted that one of the letters was from the owner of a public house and he refused to read it.

“That's an insult to bring that to court,” he remarked.

Ms Maloney repeated that Ms Hayes was not using alcohol and the letter was from a pub where her son worked.

Judge Cody referred again to the alcohol level. “She was on the verge of being comatose drunk, unconscious driving the car.”

He said the fact that there had been two hit and runs meant she had “no idea” what she was doing and it was very lucky there weren't two fatalities.

For drink-driving he imposed a suspended sentence of four months in prison with a five-year disqualification.

A two-month sentence, also suspended, was imposed for one of the hit and run offences while another two-month sentence, consecutive but suspended on condition of good behaviour for two years, was imposed for the other one.

“If she gets anywhere near the wheel of a car again in the next two years she'll be getting six months in prison,” Judge Cody said.

He fixed recognisances for an appeal but then returned again to the production in court of a reference from a publican, saying it demonstrated a “complete lack of insight”.

(Funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme)