Portlaoise Court: Man was driving seven-times over the drink driving limit
Portlaoise Courthouse
A MOTORIST who was seven times over the drink-driving limit was described as “a killer on the road”.
That’s how Judge Andrew Cody described 43-year-old Ben Mansour, 528A River Forest, Leixlip, Co Kildare, who came before Portlaoise District Court charged with drink-driving at Timahoe Road, Portlaoise on 2 February.
He pleaded guilty to the offence.
The court was told that the accused had six previous convictions.
Judge Cody said: “Mr Mansour, this is your third offence for intoxicated driving. You are in a little bit of trouble here,” to which he replied: “It was a big mistake. I have a good job. I’m not a bad person. I work on IT for a financial institution.”
Judge Cody said: “You had a blood alcohol level of 326. You are a killer on the road. You must have been absolutely intoxicated when you were driving. You were seven times over the legal limit.”
He convicted Mr Mansour of the offence, fined him €1,000, imposed a three-month sentence which was suspended for two years and disqualified him from driving for six years.
Before finishing with the case, Judge Cody warned the defendant: “Get behind the wheel of a car again in six years and you will be going to jail.”
