Kerry farmer ‘wavered across white lines’ in 1974 tractor

A Kerry farmer found wavering across white lines near Sneem on his poorly- equipped 1974 tractor — described in court as "a machine" — has had a charge of intoxication while driving dismissed.

A charge of driving without due care and attention was also struck out. However, several charges to do with the state of the 40-year-old tractor will only be leniently dealt with if the farmer, a 56-year-old bachelor with six cows on 25 acres of poor land, comes up with €1,000 for charity, Kenmare District Court heard.

At last month’s court in Kenmare, Judge James O’Connor was handed complicated case law on whether gardaí were entitled to pursue the allegedly intoxicated Gerry O’Shea, of Ankail, Tahilla, Sneem, into the driveway of another person’s home in the early hours of November 26, 2012.