‘Astonishingly high’ level alcohol in system of Kilkenny driver convicted of dangerous driving

A man has been convicted of dangerous driving and drink driving after gardaí were alerted to his actions by another motorist.

Patrick McDonald, Main Street, Stoneyford, pleaded guilty to the charges, including two counts of dangerous driving.

On March 8, 2024, gardaí received a call to attend at Stoneyford, just after 11am.

At the scene they observed a Qashqai parked up with a jeep behind it.  A man got out of the jeep and identified himself to gardaí. He told them he had observed the other vehicle driving in a dangerous manner in Thomastown. It had stopped in Stoneyford village. The man called the gardaí.

Gardaí spoke to Mr McDonald. There was a strong smell of alcohol from him and his eyes were glassy. He was arrested and taken to Thomastown Garda Station where a doctor took a urine sample. This showed a reading of 407mgs of alcohol per 100mls of urine.

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The witness was driving behind Mr McDonald and saw him strike the side of a third vehicle, knocking off the wing mirror. Mr McDonald continued driving to Stoneyford.

Solicitor Ed Hughes said his client is 49 and had worked in a local hotel in Thomastown for 30 or 40 years. New management took over and things changed. Mr McDonald is pursuing a civil claim for constructive dismissal, the solicitor said.
A psychiatric report for that matter diagnosed Mr McDonald with PTSD and anxiety.

Mr Hughes said his client had self medicated and turned to alcohol since ending his employment.
His client is fully aware this is not how he should be dealing with these issues, Mr Hughes said, and is making efforts to get treatment.

The level of alcohol in his client’s system on the day ‘was extreme’, it was accepted. He should not have been driving.
Mr McDonald is not driving anymore, Mr Hughes told the court.

Judge Geraldine Carthy described the alcohol reading as “astonishingly high, it’s just shocking.”

The charge did merit a custodial sentence, she said, imposing five months imprisonment on the charge of drink driving, to be suspended for 12 months on condition Mr McDonald engage with the Probation Service and be alcohol free.
He was disqualified from driving for six years.

Mr McDonald was convicted of two charges of dangerous driving. A two-year disqualification was imposed on each.