A 61-year-old man has been sentenced to a total of eight months in prison and banned from driving for 20 years, after he was caught driving in an intoxicated state for a third time. Paddy McCarthy, of 34 Mullally Grove, Cappamore, was before Judge Tom O’Donnell after Garda Michael O’Shaughnessy arrested him while driving a relatives car.
McCarthy had earlier been banned for driving on two occasions; a 10 year ban issued in 2008, and a 15 year ban issued in 2009,
as well as other penalties enforced for drink driving and no insurance convictions.
The court heard that the accused was driving on Carey’s Road on February 21 last, and when gardai stopped him, he had a blood alcohol level reading of 156mg.
John Devane, solicitor, told the court that McCarthy was driving a relatives car while intoxicated as the owner was not in a position to drive, and McCarthy felt that his relative could not afford to lose his licence. When the accused was apprehended by gardai, he said he thought he was doing good.
Judge O’Donnell retorted by saying that it was clear that McCarthy acted in a “pre meditated fashion”, had an “appalling record,” and despite convictions and driving bans, continued to flout the road traffic laws.
“All of this, Mr Devane, despite your client having prison sentences and two lengthy driving bans in place. It’s clear from this that Mr McCarthy has a total disregard for the laws and is in contempt of the orders of the court. It’s outrageous”.
Mr Devane said that a plea was indicated at an early stage and that he asked for leniency for the accused.
Judge O’Donnell gave credit for the early plea but said that it as still a “disgraceful performance”.
For the section 49 charge of driving a car while under the influence of an intoxicant, McCarthy was convicted and sentenced to six months in prison and disqualified from driving for 20 years.
For driving without insurance, he was sentenced to two months in prison and will serve that sentence consecutively to the first. He was also banned from driving for 20 years.
Judge O’Donnell, however, ordered that prison warrant for the accused not be issued until September 21 next to facilitate a medical appointment, as McCarthy had been recently diagnosed with angina.
