Tipperary man drank and drove after he heard family had caught Covid-19

A man who became upset after learning his wife and daughter had Covid-19 was caught drink driving, Nenagh District Court heard.

Jakub Morawski, Coille Beithe, Nenagh, was arrested on suspicion of drink driving at John’s Lane around 3pm on May 11, 2020. He returned a reading of 62mcg of alcohol per 100ml of breath.

Mr Morawski has no previous convictions.

His solicitor, Elizabeth McKeever, said that Mr Morawski was a Polish national and had been living in Ireland for around 15 years.

He had been in Nenagh for five years and was working as a painter.

The offence occurred after he received news that his wife and daughter in Poland had contracted Covid-19, and he foolishly drank and drove, she said.

Ms McKeever said that her client had work lined up for the next six months and sought for his mandatory driving disqualification to be postponed.

Judge Elizabeth MacGrath fined Mr Morawski €200 and disqualified him from driving for two years.

She postponed the disqualification to September 1, 2022.