Dad twice caught driving at over four times legal limit dodges prison

Sunday World

6 days ago

'VERY LUCKY' |
Defence barrister Sarah Brennan said the 'very traumatic' murder of his sister in the US had provided the catalyst for the onset of an 'extensive drink problem'.
Peter McKenna
Judge Raymond Finnegan warned Peter McKenna (56) of the potential consequences that awaited him following both episodes which occurred in Castleblayney, Co Monaghan in April and December last year.
McKenna, with addresses at Castle Lodge Guesthouse, Market Square, Monaghan and Cois Locha, Doohamlet, Castleblayney, Monaghan pleaded guilty to two counts of drink driving, alongside those of no insurance and dangerous driving in the south Monaghan town on April 21 and December 16, 2024.
Sgt Lisa McEntee relayed the State's evidence in connection to the first incident which took place shortly after 1am.
She explained how gardaí, who had been on patrol in the area, came across McKenna behind the wheel of a red Vauxhall van which had been travelling along a stretch of the old Monaghan road and in the direction of Castleblayney town.
Sgt McEntee said the vehicle was spotted 'swerving over and back and from side to side', resulting in gardaí turning around their patrol car and going off in pursuit of the offending vehicle.
Having carried out that manoeuvre on the town's York Street area, Sgt McEntee said pursuing gardaí proceeded to activate the patrol car's blue lights as the vehicle in question continued onwards with its full beam headlights on while also 'swerving over and back and from side to side'.
When McKenna pulled in and was tested for drink driving, Sgt McEntee said his reading returned a result of 223mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood.
That reading put McKenna at almost four and a half times over the legal limit to drive owing to the fact the State's present day legal limit stands at 50mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood.
Less than eight months later, the court was told how McKenna was caught for a second time with an almost identical blood alcohol level, this time as he drove a silver coloured Renault Kangoo van through the town.
Sgt McEntee said McKenna was identified by gardaí as they observed him driving at speed along the town's Main Street shortly after midnight on December 16 last year.
Like the earlier incident, gardaí took off in pursuit of McKenna before noticing the accused make a left hand turn at a roundabout while proceeding out of town and along the Monaghan Road.
Moments later, the van was sighted turning onto the Ballybay Road where McKenna signalled to turn right before turning off his indicator to instead indicate left.
Judge Finnegan was told how once McKenna pulled in, gardaí once again took a sample from the accused in a move which returned a reading of 224mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood.
The court heard McKenna had one previous conviction for drink driving to his name, which dated back to 2004.
Defence barrister Sarah Brennan, BL, said there was no denying the 'very high' nature of both readings, as she told of McKenna had been cooperative throughout both incidents by providing samples and ultimately tendering guilty pleas before the court.
She said McKenna was a separated man who had been labouring under poor health for some time, challenges which had been brought to bear by a diagnosis of Chron's disease some 10 years earlier.
Ms Brennan said McKenna had undergone extensive surgery as a result and was now on anti-depressants and reliant on a €240 weekly income from disability allowance.
She said the upshot from that diagnosis and the 'very traumatic' murder of his sister in the US had, by his own admission, provided the catalyst for the onset of an 'extensive drink problem'.
Peter McKenna
News in 90 Seconds - June 22nd
In appealing for leniency, Ms Brennan also implored the court to consider the antiquity which was linked to her client's sole previous conviction over two decades earlier.
Judge Finnegan disqualified McKenna for two and three years respectively for dangerous and drink driving for the April 21 incident, fining him €250 in the process.
A five month jail term, suspended for two years, was similarly imposed for the drink driving summons despite Judge Finnegan's own concession of how he had been 'very tempted' not to suspend any of its duration.
A further €500 fine was handed down for no insurance in the latter incident with a six year ban and five month consecutive suspended prison sentence being recorded for what Judge Finnegan said was an 'extraordinary' alcohol intake reading.
In handing down those penalties and advising McKenna of his good fortune in avoiding a custodial spell, Judge Finnegan told him: 'You are getting a chance Mr McKenna. It's up to you whether you take it, if you don't you will serve the full sentence.'