Banned for drug driving

A man who admitted a charge of drug driving was fined and banned at Carrick-on-Shannon District Court.

Kieran Gaffney (51) of Cairns Drive, Sligo pleaded guilty to a charge of drug driving at Cornagillagh, Dromod on April 12 last year.

Inspector Emmett Treacy told the court the defendant overtook Garda Dooner who was driving his own car at Erris, Boyle.

Garda Dooner followed the defendant, stopped him and identified himself. He made a lawful demand for the defendant to give an oral fluid sample.

The defendant was arrested and brought to Carrick garda station where two different types of cannabis were found in his system.

The court heard the defendant had an historic conviction for possession of drugs, two convictions for no insurance and a few public order offences.

He had no previous convictions for drug driving.

Defence solicitor Martin Burke said his client was a married father-of-three and was putting two of these children through college.

The drug readings were very low, and it was a residual reading from the night before and he was on his way to work. The defendant was fully co-operative with Garda Dooner.

The defendant, a self-employed man, was embarrassed and knew he would be banned from driving and would have to live with it.

Judge Sandra Murphy said the defendant did not have a good record and fined him €150 and banned him from driving for a year.