Drunk-driver used abusive language to other person in custody, Cork court told

A drunk-driver who used threatening language towards another person in custody may have acted “out of character” during his arrest because he struck his head during a traffic accident, his defence solicitor told Skibbereen District Court.

Court presenter Sergeant Tom Mulcahy said a single-vehicle traffic accident was reported at Clontaff, Union Hall, Co Cork, on the night of November 8, 2025. When Garda Joe Maher attended the scene at 11.55pm, he found a white Skoda stopped sideways across the traffic lanes. 

There was damage to the front of the car and it appeared to have collided with the garden wall of a nearby house, before coming to rest across the road. 

Sitting in the driver’s seat was Nigel Elward, aged 60, of Ballinatona, Union Hall, Co Cork.

Elward admitted he was the driver and had consumed alcohol. He was arrested and taken to Bandon Garda Station. When he arrived, he asked another person, who was also in custody, “What the f**k are you looking at?”.

An alcohol breath test showed that Elward had an alcohol level of 77mg per 100ml of breath. The legal limit is 22mg. Elward had no previous convictions.

Defence solicitor Colette McCarthy said her client could give no excuse, other than that he struck his head during the accident, which may have caused him to behave uncharacteristically. 

She said Elward had apologised to gardaí before he was charged with threatening and abusive behaviour. She said Elward had pleaded guilty and had never come to the attention of gardaí before.

Judge Joanne Carroll said she accepted that the disqualification from driving would have “massive consequences” for Elward, and though the public-order charge was “quite significant”, she agreed to strike it out if he would make a €250 donation to the court’s poor box.

Elward was convicted of drink-driving and was disqualified from driving for three years.

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