Driver drank hot whiskey

A man who drank hot whiskey to treat a viral infection was convicted of drink driving at a recent sitting of Nenagh District Court

The court heard that gardaí were conducting a speed checkpoint at Carrigatoher on December 4 last. Around 9pm they detected a Peugeot van being driven at a speed of 143kmph in a 100kmph speed limit zone.

They followed the van in their patrol car and stopped it outside a private residence. The driver of the van got out and dropped an e-cigarette on the ground. Garda William Lynch said the driver’s speech was slurred, he was unsteady on his feet and there was a smell of intoxicating liquor.

He spoke to the driver, Joseph McGrath (58) of Drom Slinne, Portroe, and then arrested him on suspicion of drink driving. Mr McGrath was taken to Nenagh Garda Station where he returned a reading of 75mcg of alcohol per 100ml of breath.

Defence counsel Kenneth Kerins established that Mr McGrath had drank hot whiskey that night as a medicinal remedy for a viral infection. He told the gardaí that he thought he had covid.

A hardworking man, who worked for the Department of Agriculture and in construction, the loss of Mr McGrath’s driving licence would have a serious impact on him and his daughter and her family, Mr Kerins said.

Judge Elizabeth Healy imposed the mandatory three-year disqualification along with a fine of €500. Leave to appeal was granted.