Student, 18, guilty of ‘drunk cycling’

An 18-year old Leaving Certificate student guilty of ‘drunk cycling’ “could have caused a terrible accident”, a judge has said.

At Ennis District Court, Judge Patrick Durcan made his comment after Ghanaian national Sylvanus Akpaku pleaded guilty to the new offence of drunk cycling under the 2010 Road Traffic Act.

Akpaku of 4 Church View, Barefield, Ennis, Co Clare, pleaded guilty to driving a pedal cycle under the influence to such an extent as to be incapable of having proper control of the bicycle at Barefield on Sept 13 last.

The charge is contrary to section 6 and 2 of the 2010 Road Traffic Act.

Those convicted of the offence face fines of up to €2,000.

Insp Tom Kennedy, prosecuting, said that at around 11pm on Sept 13, Garda Eimear McDonagh observed Akpaku cycling in an erratic manner in the middle of the road near Barefield.

“It would be funny if it wasn’t so serious,” he told the judge.

Judge Durcan said that Akpaku, a student at Ennis Community College, “is a very impressive young man and I don’t want to criminalise him and I will strike out the charge”.