Christmas Day detection leads to two-year driving ban

A Killygordon woman has been disqualified from driving for two years after a Christmas Day drink-drive detection.

Sharon Bradley (48), of Drumfergus, Killygordon was before Letterkenny District Court following an incident on December 25, 2020.

Gardai received a report of a female causing a disturbance in Newtowncunningham.

Upon arrival, Gardai noted that the woman had left the scene in a vehicle.

Sergeant Gerard Dalton told the court that the car was observed at 00:45 at Hawthorn Hill. Gardaí followed and stopped the vehicle at Moyle.

Bradley was arrested and a blood sample given at Letterkenny Garda Station returned a reading of 140 milligrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood - almost three times over the legal limit.

Bradley has no previous convictions.

“It was more an argument than a disturbance,” solicitor for Bradley, Mr Frank Dorrian, said.

“She thought better and let. It was an oversight rather than a systematic failure on her behalf.

“She was as compliant as she could be when she engaged with the Gardaí.”

Mr Dorrian said Bradley lives in a remote area and will have to bear the consequences.

Bradley was fined €250, given five months to pay and Judge Deirdre Gearty banned her from driving for a period of two years.