A former Tyrone footballer has avoided conviction for refusing to give a blood or urine sample because gardaí failed to inform him of his obligations, a court has ruled.

Former Tyrone footballer Owen Mulligan told Listowel District Court yesterday that he didn’t think the man who arrived at Listowel Garda Station in the early hours to take a blood or urine sample from him — where he was under arrest on suspicion of drink driving — was a doctor.