A MOTORIST who was arrested twice in the space of a few hours for drink driving was observed by gardaí at Bandon Garda Station urinating into his hands and drinking his urine.
Michael Boyle, 2 Meelin House, Meelin, Bandon pleaded guilty at Bandon Court to two counts of drink driving as well as failing to provide a breath, blood, or urine sample when request to do so by gardaí.
The court heard that at 8.50pm on June 24th last Det Gda Dave Barrett was refuelling at Kevin O’Leary’s Circle K Station in Bandon when he noticed a white BMW parking in the centre and blocking access to petrol pump. ‘The defendant had parked the car in an odd position and when Det Gda Barrett passed him with the car keys, he appeared disoriented,’ said Sgt Tom Mulcahy.
‘He watched him as he walked to his car swaying and looked un- steady on his feet. Det Gda Barrett approached the car and saw that he was intending to drive and arrested him and conveyed him to Bandon Garda Station.’ Mr Boyle refused to provide two breath samples and also refused to do a blood or urine sample while there.
‘While in custody he accused Det Gda Barrett of bullying and sexual assault and said a garda at the station gave him vodka instead of water. He was then observed urinating in his hands and drinking it.’
The court heard he has four previous conviction including two for Covid offences. Sgt Mulcahy said the defendant was released from custody when another offence took place at 1.05am on June 25th within the hour of his release.
‘Gda Brian Blake saw his car driving from Weir Street onto South Main Street and stopped the vehicle at Market Street. When Mr Boyle got out of his car he was unsteady on his feet and his eyes were bloodshot and Gda Blake formed his opinion that he was driving while under the influence of an intoxicant.’
He was conveyed to Bandon Garda Station where he again refused to give two breath samples. However, when a designated doctor was called a blood sample was taken, which gave a reading of 121mgs of alcohol per 100mls of blood.
Solicitor Plunkett Taaffe said the first incident stemmed from pre- scribed drugs his client had been taking for an open wound.
‘With this medication and alcohol he found himself arrested. He was actually going back into his car to retrieve his wallet to pay for goods in the shop. He was distressed and aggrieved at the garda station,’ said Mr Taaffe.
‘He was offensive and has apologised to Det Gda Barrett.’
He said his client was told that he could face a four-year driving disqualification for not providing a breath, blood or urine sample after his first arrest but he was not ‘in the right frame of mind’.
Mr Taaffe said his client is a native of Armagh, on full-time disability and has very serious medical issues.
Judge James McNulty disqualified him from driving for four years for failing to give a breath, blood or urine sample from June 24th and also convicted and fined him €100. He also gave him another four-year ban for the drink-driving incident on June 25th which is to run concurrently to the other sentence. He also convicted and fined him €100 and took into consideration his failure to provide a breath sample.
