Plasterer was caught twice in one day

THE actions of a motorist caught drink driving twice on the same morning were described as ‘not very bright.’

Gheorghita Ghenea of Apt 2, 26 Oliver Plunkett Street, Bandon pleaded guilty at Bandon District Court to two charges of drink driving.

Insp Kay O’Donoghue told Judge James McNulty that at 9.50am on February 4th last Gda John O’Donoghue was operating a MIT (mandatory intoxicant testing) checkpoint when he stopped the defendant. He failed a breath test.

‘At 11.55am Gda O’Reilly was travelling on the N71 at Curranure, Innishannon when he saw a red Colt travelling in the opposite direction. He was aware that the driver was arrested two hours earlier,’ said Insp O’Donoghue.

‘He turned around and stopped him at Drumkeen where he noticed there was a strong smell of alcohol coming from him.’

The court heard that a roadside breath test didn’t take place so the defendant was brought to Bandon Garda Station where he again failed a breath test.

Defence solicitor Myra Dinneen said her client, who has no previous convictions and is a self-employed plasterer, had been out drinking the night before and drove his car the following morning.

‘His car would have been left at the spot of his first arrest and he got someone to drop him back there to collect it and then he was stopped for the second time,’ said Ms Dinneen, who described her client’s actions as ‘not very bright.’

Judge McNulty said the defendant’s actions were ‘grossly irresponsible’ but the court would not send him to prison but the length of disqualification needed to be clarified by the gardaí.

He remanded him on continuing bail to appear at the next sitting of the court the following Monday but the accused failed to show and so a bench warrant was issued.