Couple's late night argument led to husband crashing car

An argument between a married couple after a night out involving alcohol led to the husband losing control of his car and crashing it 100 metres from his home.

At Cork District Court, Gary Browne, aged 47, of Diamond Rd, Monkstown, was found guilty of drink driving on December 9, 2012, and disqualified from driving for three years.

Insp Eileen Foster told the court that gardaí received a report of a vehicle causing a disruption in Monkstown on the night.

When they arrived, they saw a Toyota Corolla with damage to the side and front at Diamond Rd. Gardaí spoke to the defendant at the scene and he was argumentative as to who was driving the car at the time.

However speaking to the man’s daughter and wife on the phone revealed that the defendant had been the person driving. Gardaí said Browne appeared unsteady on his feet and was arrested on suspicion of drink driving, which he admitted on route to the Bridewell.

His solicitor Ruairi O’Cathain said the charge was not valid because he was considered a “specified driver” at the time of his arrest.

Judge Olann Kelleher fined the defendant €250 and disqualified him from driving for three years.