Incidents of driving while intoxicated increase in two of three Cork Garda divisions

Using drug swabs on suspected intoxicated drivers was allowing gardaí to “pick up more people” than before, said Chief Superintendent Vincent O’Sullivan.

Garda Sargent Shane Henry and actor Gavin Greene simulating a roadside preliminary drug test. Picture: Robbie Reynolds

Drink- and drug-driving detections have increased in two of the three Cork garda divisions as the country has been dealing with increased carnage on the roads.

Detections for drink- and drug-driving rose to 219 up to September this year in Cork North, from 211 detections in the same period last year.

There were 201 incidents of driving while intoxicated in Cork City up to September compared to 178 in the same period last year.

But Cork West saw a decrease to 112 intoxicated driving detections, compared to 132 in the same period last year.

Chief Superintendent Vincent O’Sullivan of the Cork and West Garda Divisions told Cork county's joint policing committee that using drug swabs on suspected intoxicated drivers was allowing gardaí to “pick up more people” than would have been possible before.

Of the six fatal road collisions recorded by gardaí in Cork county, four were pedestrians — one outside Midleton, two in Charleville, and one death in Union Hall.

Some €901,000 in funding will be dedicated by Cork County Council this year for road safety improvement schemes, with works to be carried out across 24 targeted locations.

Scams and cybercrime

Chief Supt O'Sullivan also warned that international cybercrime gangs are continuing to target Irish homes and businesses, despite recent arrests and sanctions of suspected members of major gangs, including Conti and Black Axe. 

He has called on victims of fraud to report it to gardaí, no matter how embarrassing it may seem, as information is key to bringing down these often highly sophisticated criminals.

He warned of an increase in accommodation fraud and text messages saying things such as "hi mum, my phone has fallen down the toilet, please send me €100" as students return to college this month.

Fraud, such as scam calls asking older people for their bank details, saw a “real peak” last year, but it continues in 2023, he said.

Up to September 3, there were 347 incidents of fraud reported to gardaí in Cork North and Cork West, a 21% decrease from the 437 incidents in the same period last year.

Some 113 people aged 41-60 were the largest age cohort of victims at 40%, followed by those aged over 60, at 34%. Those aged 26-40 made up 21% of victims.

Chief Supt O’Sullivan said the decrease in fraud shows the importance of reporting it to gardaí.

Please don’t think it’s a futile exercise,” he said.

Just last week, 11 suspected members of the notorious Russian-linked Conti cybercrime gang, believed to be responsible for the 2021 HSE cyberattack, were hit with sanctions including asset freezes in the US and the UK. 

Property crime

A rise in property crime has been driven by a spike in people stealing fuel from forecourts and from more shops being open again after covid, Chief Supt O’Sullivan said.

Property crime increased across Cork City, Cork North, and Cork West divisions between January to August this year compared to the same period last year.

Theft from a shop and theft of other property increased in all three garda divisions. In Cork North, of 262 thefts of other property, 130 involved theft of fuel from a petrol station.

But burglaries decreased again this year, which Chief Supt O’Sullivan said is “a huge encouragement". In Cork West, burglaries dropped from 50 between January to August 2022 to 38 in the same period this year.

In Cork North, burglaries dropped from 75 up to September this year from 86 in the same period last year, but Cork City saw a small increase in burglaries from 169 last year to 186 this year.

Assaults causing harm decreased from 207 up to September last year to 154 up to September this year in Cork City, and from 117 to 102 in Cork North. But assaults causing harm rose slightly in Cork West, from 44 to 45.

All three garda divisions saw an increase in domestic abuse reports, with a 6% increase in Cork City, a 15% increase in Cork North and a 11% increase in Cork West.