Cork man was four times over drink-driving limit on fishing trip with son
The defendant's solicitor said on the day the accused had brought his son on a fishing trip to West Cork he had started drinking. File photo
A Cork man who brought his young son on a fishing trip to West Cork was more than four times over the legal drink-driving limit when he was breathalysed following an accident, the district court has heard.
Court presenter Sergeant Trish O’Sullivan told Bantry District Court that a single-vehicle road traffic accident occurred at Drumaclarig, Glengarriff, Co Cork at 9.30pm on July 17, 2025.
When gardaí arrived at the scene the driver, a man from Cork city in his late 30s, admitted he was responsible for the accident and was driving the vehicle. The man’s 10-year-old son was a front-seat passenger in the car.
Gardaí formed the opinion that the man was intoxicated and he was arrested and taken to Bantry Garda Station where a breath alcohol test returned a reading of 105mg of alcohol per 100ml of breath, where the legal limit is 22mg.
The court was told that the man was previously disqualified from driving for two years, following a drink-driving conviction in 2020, and because his last conviction was less than four years ago, he would face a mandatory six-year disqualification.
Defence solicitor Flor Murphy said the man had suffered from severe anxiety and depression and had previously attempted to take his own life. He said the man was “not in a good place” and had a difficult domestic situation.
He said on the day the accused had brought his son on a fishing trip to West Cork and he had started drinking. Mr Murphy said his client had “made a terrible mistake”.
He added the accused had made full admissions and was fully co-operative. Mr Murphy said his client was seeking a postponement of the disqualification until January 2 to enable him to undertake an upcoming work opportunity.
Judge Treasa Kelly said the man was very lucky the outcome was not worse because his 10-year-old son was in the car at the time.
She said in terms of the disqualification period, her hands were tied by the legislation but agreed to defer the commencement of the driving ban to January 2, 2026. The man was convicted and fined €200 and given four months to pay the fine.
He was also disqualified from driving for six years.
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