Crash driver was 'stoned out his mind'
Gardaí were called to the scene after the two-car crash. File image
A DISQUALIFIED driver who crashed in the centre of Mountmellick while stoned out of his mind on cocaine was described in court as “a menace to society”.
Gardaí were called to the scene on O’Connell Square, after the drug driver’s car veered across the road and crashed into an oncoming car.
Portlaoise District Court heard last Thursday that Kevin Ryan, The Commons, Mountmellick was ten times the limit for cocaine and was banned from driving at the time.
Judge Andrew Cody said: “He was stoned out of his mind and an absolute danger to everyone in Mountmellick, as he careered across the road. He is very much a menace to society.” Mr Ryan pleaded guilty to intoxicated driving, as well as driving without insurance and a licence. A summons for dangerous driving was withdrawn before the hearing.
Garda Bigley gave evidence that he attended the road accident on 21 October 2023. A Volkswagen Golf driven by Mr Ryan had veered across the road and crashed into a Toyota Yaris travelling in the opposite direction. There were no serious injuries.
Both drivers passed alcohol tests but Mr Ryan failed a drug test, with a reading of 490.7 for cocaine. It subsequently emerged that he was disqualified from driving at the time.
He had 31 previous convictions for drug and traffic offences and got a four-year disqualification at Portlaoise Circuit Criminal Court, in June 2023, for driving without insurance, as well as a four-month jail sentence that was suspended for two years.
Judge Cody observed: “And yet he was back out on the road four months later.”
Defending barrister Brian Mallon conceded that the 34-year-old had “an appalling record”, with addiction playing a major role in his previous offences. However, he is currently attending the Community Alcohol and Drugs Service, which provided a letter for the court confirming his attendance.
Mr Mallon said his client recently started work as a forklift operator and earns about €500 a week.
Mr Mallon said: “He is very much terrified by what happened that day and very much offers an apology to the court. He is addressing his drug addiction issues and would ask the court to be as lenient as possible.”
Judge Cody pointed out that a lenient suspended sentence in June 2023 made no difference, as Mr Ryan was out driving again four months later and caused an accident.
The judge sentenced him to a total of eight months in prison, consisting of four months for driving without insurance and a consecutive four months for drug driving, in view of the fact that he was found to be ten times the limit for cocaine just four months after receiving a suspended jail sentence.
After Mr Mallon asked for recognisances to be fixed in the event of an appeal, Judge Cody fixed terms of a personal bond of €1,000 and an independent surety of €2,000.
The judge said: “I need someone to put €2,000 on the table here, in order to guarantee that he will not get behind a wheel again.”
The breach of the suspended sentence in June 2023 was referred back to the circuit court.
