Laois health care worker gets four-year driving ban
Portlaoise Courthouse
A HEALTH care worker was disqualified from driving for refusing to provide a breath sample following a road traffic collision.
Jackie Murray, 29 Ballymorris Manor, Portarlington pleaded guilty at Portlaoise District Court to refusing to provide an evidential breath specimen at Abbeyleix Garda Station on 9 October 2025.
Gardaí stopped Ms Murray driving on Canal Road at 2am that morning and arrested her on suspicion of drink-driving. When taken to Abbeyleix Garda Station, she refused to provide a breath sample.
The court heard that the defendant had one previous road traffic conviction in 2015, when she had received a €300 fine and a three months’ driving disqualification.
Solicitor Josephine Fitzpatrick said that on the night, her client, a health care assistant, “made a foolish decision to drive and will have to make alternative travel arrangements.’’ She asked Judge Andrew Cody to consider postponing the disqualification to allow her to get her affairs in order.
The judge went on to convict Ms Murray of the offence, fined her €100 and imposed a four-year driving ban, which he postponed to 1 July.
