Learner driver caught drink-driving a day after being convicted for same offence

Court reporter

A learner driver was caught drink-driving a day after being convicted of the same offence.

Carlow District Court heard that on October 11th 2025, a vehicle in Carlow town was flagged to gardaí by their mobility device as having no insurance. After speaking with the driver, George Stelian Iacob (33), the vehicle was seized under section 40 of the Road Traffic Acts.

A breath specimen taken from Mr Iacob failed, and he was arrested under section 9(2) of the Road Traffic Acts. He provided a blood sample, and the certificate was returned with a reading of 136mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood, exceeding the legal limit.

Mr Iacob, Parkmore, Baltinglass, had three previous convictions, including a conviction for drink-driving on October 10th, 2025, the day before this incident, for which he was fined €200 and disqualified from driving for two years.

Judge Geraldine Carthy’s reaction was pointed. “The 10th of October? Okay. I’ll say no more,” she said.

Noting it was Mr Iacob’s second drink-driving offence, Judge Carthy convicted him and imposed a four-year driving disqualification. “This is a double disqualification of four years,” she said, also fining him €700.

The article was funded by the Court Reporting Scheme