Woman in the Midlands put off road for four years after being caught drug driving
A driver who provided a blood sample that tested positive for cocaine was banned from the road for four years at Longford District Court.
Sharon Green (45) of The Berkley Courtyard, Newtownforbes was charged with driving without documentation and driving with excess cocaine in her system.
Solicitor Frank Gearty told the court his client was entering a plea of guilty to all the charges before the court.
Garda Martin McGowan gave evidence that on April 15, 2022 at 11:20 he was on mobile patrol in Ballygarran, Rathowen, Westmeath when he observed a car driving in an erratic manner.
The officer stopped the vehicle and spoke to the driver who gave her name as Sharon Green.
Although the driver passed the alcohol breath test, an oral fluid Dräger roadside test showed a positive reading for cocaine and opiates.
The court was told the defendant is on a methadone programme and this accounted for the opiate reading. Garda McGowan said Green did not have a valid drivers licence or insurance and there was no tax or up to date NCT on the vehicle.
A subsequent blood test confirmed the presence of cocaine at a level of 145.6ng per 100ml of blood.
Garda McGowan agreed with Mr Gearty that the defendant was “very cooperative”. The solicitor said his client was visiting someone in hospital and took a chance, adding “it was a silly thing to do”.
Mr Gearty said Green has gotten rid of the car. He pointed out that the defendant “does not carry the flotilla of convictions normally associated with drug addiction”. He said Green has addressed her addiction and is on a methadone programme and “if it was not for her addiction she would not be here”.
Noting that the defendant was “not of significant means” Judge Bernadette Owens registered a conviction for the drug driving imposing a fine of €200 with eight months to pay, a further fine of €100 for no drivers licence and a fine of €200 for no insurance. A four year disqualification was also imposed.