Cork motorist gets three-year ban after driving away from gardaí while drunk

A Cork motorist has been banned from driving after driving away from a garda who spotted men with bottles of spirits in his car.

Sergeant Trish O’Sullivan told Macroom District Court that on August 26, 2025, a silver Ford Focus parked outside a shop at Tooms Bridge near Macroom aroused the suspicions of a Garda patrol.

The court was told there were three occupants in the parked car who appeared to be holding bottles of spirits. When gardaí approached, the vehicle was driven off. 

Gardaí followed the car, which was being driven erratically, “weaving along the road”, before losing sight of it. 

One of the occupants was recognised as Michael O’Riordan, aged 45, of Clashbredane, Kilmichael, Co Cork.

A short time later, the same car was spotted parked near a shop with O’Riordan the sole occupant. He was questioned and gardaí noted his slurred speech and a strong smell of alcohol. They formed the opinion that O’Riordan was in charge of a mechanically propelled vehicle while intoxicated.

He was arrested and taken to Macroom Garda Station where a breath test recorded an alcohol level of 95mg per 100ml. The legal limit is 22mg. 

Sean Cahill, defending, said O’Riordan was effectively acting as “a good Samaritan” on the day by driving others home. He said his client had co-operated fully with gardaí and pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity.

Judge Joanne Carroll said she would have to impose a mandatory three-year driving disqualification on O’Riordan given the level of alcohol involved. 

She agreed to postpone the commencement date of the disqualification to September 1, 2026, to allow O’Riordan to avail of seasonal work during the summer.

Funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme.