Man who stole car for ‘test drive’ found with vodka bottle

A man with a serious drinking problem who took a car from a garage forecourt without permission for “a test drive” was caught less than 90 minutes later having crashed it multiple times.

Insp Tom Kennedy told Ennis District Court that Martin Daly, 56, was opportunist when he took the 11 CE registered black Peugeot 207 from the forecourt at O’Sullivan & Hansbury Motors in Ennis at 12.20pm on February 10 last when he saw the keys in the ignition.

The car was up for sale by the garage at the time and Mr Daly — later found to be more than three times over the alcohol driving limit — was apprehended by gardaí at 2pm two miles from the garage driving the car back to Ennis.