Judge hands down three-year ban to drink driver at Kilkenny Court
The defendant has a number of previous convictions
A man who admitted to driving while under the influence of alcohol was fined €450 and banned from driving for three years at a recent sitting of Kilkenny District Court.
Vladimirs Kononovs, 37 Ashfield, Royal Oak Road, Muine Bheag, Co Carlow admitted the offence which took place at Blanchfield Land, Kilkenny on February 26.
Inspector Paul Donohoe told the court that on the date in question gardaí were working when they observed a male sitting on the driver’s seat of a vehicle, asleep with the engine still running and stopped half on the road and half on the green area.
The inspector said that on the date in question gardaí got a call from a member of the public who saw the defendant driving from the Hebron Road and called to report his driving.
When gardaí met the defendant they got a strong smell of alcohol from hil and observed a bottle of alcohol on the floor.
The defendant was arrested and provided a sample to gardaí which had a reading of 84mg of alcohol per 100 ml of breath.
The court heard that the defendant has seven previous convictions including for no insurance, drink driving, careless driving and theft.
Solicitor Alex Rafter told the court that his client was ‘taking a pragmatic approach’.
“My client is from Russia and has had a hard year battling his own health issues. He doesn’t recall too much about the incident just a garda knocking on his window,” he said adding that his client is the ‘main breadwinner’ for his family and is supported by his partner.
Judge Geraldine Carthy imposed a €450 fine and disqualified the defendant from driving for three years.
Recognisances were fixed in the event of an appeal.