Letterkenny man told gardai he had 'two or three pints' was three times over limit

A Letterkenny man who told gardai that he had taken 'two or three pints' was found to be more than three times the legal drink-driving limit.

Rory McDaid, a 35-year-old of Highland Drive, Mountain Top, Letterkenny, was put off the road for three years when he appeared before Letterkenny District Court.

Gardai spotted McDaid driving erratically on September 11, 2020 at 11.54pm at Pearse Road, Letterkenny.

Sergeant Jim Collins told the court that McDaid did a U-turn in Toyota Corolla and drove in the direction of Letterkenny Retail Park.

“It appeared that he was driving to avoid gardai,” Sergeant Collins said. McDaid admitted to gardai at the scene that he had 'two or three pints' and he was arrested and conveyed to Letterkenny Garda Station.

A blood sample showed a concentration of 156mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood, where the legal limit is 50.

McDaid was said to have cooperated fully with gardai and has no previous convictions.

Mr Patsy Gallagher, solicitor for McDaid, said his client is a 35-year-old father-of-one and there was no application for a postponement of the ban.

Judge Éiteáin Cunningham fined McDaid €200, allowing five months to pay. McDaid was disqualified from driving for a period of three years.