Footballer avoids conviction for urine sample refusal

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.

Judge James O’Connor dismissed the charge against three times All-Ireland winner and BBC GAA pundit Owen Mulligan because he said gardaí had failed to warn him of his obligation to provide a blood or urine sample when he could not give a sample of his breath.

Judge O’Connor accepted that Mr Mulligan had suffered broken ribs resulting from a football match in Tyrone five days before his arrest, and this constituted a “special” or “substantial” reason as to why the defendant was not able to give a breath sample.