Gardaí detected drunk driver when he 'released handbrake causing the vehicle to roll back'

A motorist who was arrested on suspicion of drink driving and refused to provide a sample of his urine, blood, or breath has been handed a six year driving ban.

Marian Peci of 1 Greenview, Galway Road, Roscommon pleaded guilty at the local district court to being drunk in charge of a vehicle and refusing to give a sample of his urine at Longford Garda Station on March 9 last.

At a previous hearing, Sergeant Enda McNulty court presenter said Gardaí were on patrol at 2.20am when they observed a man sitting in the driver's seat of a vehicle at Tesco, Longford.

"On approaching the vehicle the man had his window down and he released his handbrake causing the vehicle to roll back.

"Garda Goldrick observed the keys in the ignition, the vehicle's dashboard lights on and the man's speech was slurred and there was a strong smell of intoxicating liquor."

Sgt McNulty said Mr Peci was subsequently arrested and brought to Longford Garda Station where he failed to provide a urine sample to a doctor and he was charged.

The defendant had 37 previous convictions including one for a drink-driving related matter.

Last week, solicitor Frank Gearty described Mr Peci as a family man who had been doing his best to provide for his family and regretfully he committed these road traffic offences.”

The defendant is a Slovakian national who is married with five children aged between one and 14.

Mr Gearty said his client is currently in custody for a separate ‘serious’ matter.

In August, Judge Bernadette Owens had requested a community service assessment report on the defendant, however, last week she heard he was no longer in a position to complete that work.

She subsequently sentenced Mr Peci to five months in jail and she imposed a six-year driving ban.

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