Driving ban imposed at Co. Tipperary court on motorist who sped away from garda checkpoint

A 34 year-old woman drove away at speed on encountering a garda checkpoint while she was transporting contents from her flood damaged house to her mother's home in Carrick-on-Suir, a district court heard last week. 

When the gardai stopped Louise Power of Bianconi Close, Banagher Court, Piltown, they discovered she was driving over the excess alcohol limit  at Tybroughney, Carrick-on-Suir on July 13 last. She also failed to   She pleaded guilty at Carrick-on-Suir District Court to drink driving, dangerous driving, driving without a licence or insurance on that occasion. 

Judge Terence Finn imposed a four year driving ban and fines totalling €800 on Ms Power and directed she pay €250 Garda Forsenic Bureau expenses for the processing of the urine sample she provided to gardai. 

Gda. Sgt. Carol O'Leary outlined that Gda. O'Keeffe was operating a checkpoint at 12.05am on this date and saw the car driven by the defendant turn and drive away at speed down a narrow road.

 The car was stopped and the driver, Ms Power, was taken to Clonmel Garda Station where she provided a urine speciman.  Analysis of the specimen showed Ms Power had a concentration of 218mgs of alcohol per 100mls or urine in her system. She also failed to produce a driving licence and insurance cover to the gardai. 

Sgt. O'Leary outlined that Ms Power had eight previous convictions for driving offences including a driving over the excess alcohol conviction dating from 2007 for which she received a two year driving ban. 

Defence solicitor Eamonn Hayes said his client owned her own home in Piltown and on the date she committed these offences there was flood damage in the house. 

 "She was moving contents from that address to her mother's address in Carrick-on-Suir. She was doing this late into the evening," he explained. "She encountered the checkpoint and knowing she was devoid of documents, she turned away and was pursued." 

Mr Hayes said Ms Power was not currently working. She accepted the consequences that will follow from this prosecution, he added. 

Judge Finn said Ms Power was in "double trouble".  She used a vehicle on the public road while under the influence of alcohol  and she didn't have the documents to allow her to drive.  

The judge imposed a €500 fine with €250 bureau expenses and a four-year driving ban for the drink driving offence and a €300 fine and four year driving ban for the driving without insurance offence. He marked the dangerous driving and driving licence offences proven and taken into account.