Man drove at a security guard, Dundalk court heard
A lorry driver who drove a car at a security guard directing traffic in a queue for the local McDonalds drive-thru, was told at Dundalk District Court last week that he will have to complete a driving course if a charge of dangerous driving is to be reduced.
Judge Eirinn McKiernan heard gardaí were called to the car park of Tesco Extra, Stapleton Drive on June 7th 2020.
A security guard told them that he had been directing traffic waiting to get into the McDonald’s drive thru when Cathal Dowdall of Lissaraw Road, Crossmaglen, Co. Armagh was verbally abusive towards him and drove towards him- hitting him in the lower leg, before driving off.
Court presenter Sgt. Jimmy McGovern said the defendant appears to have had no patience on the day.
The Defence solicitor told the court her client is a lorry driver by trade but is currently unable to work as he is a carer for his mother.
Judge McKiernan said he needs, as a lorry driver or not, to review the rules of the road if he wants to reduce the charge and he will have to do a driver’s course adding “I’m not reducing it otherwise”.
In putting back the case to February 15th the judge said “To drive like that – it’s completely unacceptable".