Drink-driving conviction triggers ban and fine for man (76)

A 76-year-old man who stopped off between Caherdaniel and Sneem on the Ring of Kerry for a few drinks with friends on his way home of a summer’s evening has been banned from driving for two years.

He was also fined and will have to resit the driving test after being found with excess alcohol in his system on a short drive to his home .

Frank Carroll of Bunavalla, Cahersiveen, had no previous convictions and "he was not one of the major criminals of south Kerry", said Judge James O'Connor at a sitting of Cahersiveen District Court on Thursday, and offered to put a stay on the disqualification for some time.

However Mr Carroll's solicitor, Jane Harrisson, said her client who would be 77 in August was simply too anxious about the whole thing; and the costs of his insurance had become too much and he would prefer to accept the disqualification beginning in July.

“It was a summer’s evening. He had stopped off with friends and he foolishly drove home the short distance,” said Ms Harrisson.

He had two sons, one of whom lived in Cork. Her client, accompanied by his son, was in court.

Bereavement

The case had caused him a lot of anxiety. His wife had died in the meantime, Ms Harrisson told Judge James O’Connor.

His insurance costs had become “astronomical” and he was a man of limited means.

Judge James O’Connor asked if he would have to do the test “and all that rigmarole” again and he was told he would.

Insp John Brennan said the matter came to Garda attention because officers had been called to a minor two-vehicle traffic incident at Derrynane More, Caherdaniel between Caherdaniel and Sneem on July 19th, 2013 and the garda who attended the scene noticed a smell of alcohol.

But Insp Brenna said the State would have no difficulty with a stay on the disqualification – Mr O’Carroll had no previous conviction.

The reading was 120mg in 100mls of blood. The legal limit was 50mgs, said the inspector.

Ms Harrison said her client would prefer the matter over and done with because of the anxiety and insurance costs associated with it and Judge James O’Connor convicted Carroll, fined him €100 and disqualified him for two years from July.