Kilkenny driver took medication before striking a pedestrian crossing, parked cars and crashing into a pole

Kilkenny District Court has heard that a motorist who ‘took all her medication’ before crashing her car into a pole near a garda station was trying to commit suicide.

Madeline Rigby, 31 Maudlin Court, Thomastown, pleaded guilty to charges of driving while under the influence of an intoxicant and dangerous driving.

She also pleaded guilty to a charge of being in illegal possession of drugs, on a separate occasion.

On April 7, 2024, at 7.25pm, gardaí responded to a traffic collision near Thomastown Garda Station. A BMW had crashed into a pole.

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On arrival gardaí saw a man and a woman standing beside the car.

The driver, Ms Rigby, had struck a pedestrian crossing and two parked cars then continued driving until she hit the pole.
She was unsteady on her feet. She confirmed to gardaí she had been driving.

There was extensive damage caused to the vehicle.

An oral fluid test showed the presence of drugs in Ms Rigby’s system, which was confirmed by a blood test, taken at the garda station.

The court heard Ms Rigby had eight previous convictions, including two for driving without insurance.

Solicitor Chris Hogan said his client was not disqualified from driving at the time of this incident.
The drug in her system on the day was prescription medication, he explained.

Mr Hogan said Ms Rigby had tried to commit suicide on the day. She took all her medication in one go. She had no recollection of the incident and when she woke up at home, two days later, she looked for her car.

Ms Rigby was also charged with being in illegal possession of drugs on September 27, 2023. Following a search of her property drugs valued at €31 were discovered.

Mr Hogan said his client had bought a product, she thought legally, in a CBD shop. But because it contained THC it is illegal in Ireland.

The solicitor said Ms Rigby was in a bad place at the time of both events but is doing well since. She has attended Ardú and has gone back to college. She is engaging with the services and doing well.

Judge Geraldine Carthy convicted Ms Rigby on the drugs possession charge and imposed a fine of €101.

On the charge of driving under the influence of an intoxicant the defendant was convicted and fined €600. She was also disqualified from driving for four years. A disqualification of two years was imposed on conviction for dangerous driving.