Dundalk motorists forced to slow down after man drove across hatch markings in centre of road

Oncoming motorists were forced to slow down after a Dublin man overtook traffic on the Inner Relief Road and drove across the hatch markings in the centre of the road, Dundalk District court heard last week.

Aaron O’Connor (31) of Clonshaugh Avenue, Coolock, had contested a dangerous driving conviction, but entered a guilty plea to careless driving yesterday (Wednesday) - on the day of the hearing.

Insp. Liam Archbold outlined how gardai observed the defendant’s vehicle parked outside an address in Muirhevnamor on January 18th last year. They followed it at a safe distance before it turned onto the Inner Relief road, he crossed over hatch markings while overtaking traffic and caused motorists in oncoming vehicles to slow down. Mr. O’Connor stopped a short time later at the Xerox junction and approximately €140 worth of cocaine was recovered when his car was searched.

The court heard he was given a one month sentence last week in Dun Laoghaire district court for two drugs possession charges and had a third conviction from 2014.

The Defence barrister said his client had a cocaine addiction at the time of the incident and his previous convictions reflect his addiction issues, but he had instructions that a Probation report prepared for last week’s court appearance was relatively positive. He added he now works for a tyre changing company in Crumlin and needs his driving licence for the job.

Judge Eirinn McKiernan put the case back to later in the list to determine if that was the case, however, the Probation officer said the accused had undergone drug testing on three occasions and two of the samples were positive for cocaine.

The Defence counsel urged the court to give his client one last chance to engage with the Probation Service.

Judge McKiernan said she would exercise her discretion and not disqualify the defendant from driving for careless driving and imposed a three month jail term for the cocaine offence.

At the request of the Defence the judge fixed recognizance for an appeal on Mr. O’Connor’s own bond of €300, an independent surety of €500 with cash to be lodged.