A KINSALE motorist was given a two-year driving ban after gardaí observed him hitting a car while they were dealing with another minor road traffic incident.

Walter Wall (66) of 38 The Court, Compass Quay, Kinsale pleaded not guilty at Bandon District Court to driving while under the influence of an intoxicant on May 11th last.

Gda Peter Moran told Judge Joanne Carroll that he was on patrol duty at around 5.40pm on that day when they attended a minor road traffic collision at Castlepark in Kinsale.

He said he noticed an Audi A6 coming up the hill which appeared to swerve and hit another car.

‘I stopped the defendant’s car and spoke to him and noted that there was a smell of intoxicating liquor from him. He subsequently failed a road side breath test and was conveyed to Bandon Garda Station,’ said Gda Moran.

The court heard that a sample taken at the garda station gave a reading of 51mcgs of alcohol per 100mls of blood and Mr Wall was then charged.

Defence solicitor Patrick Horan noted that the Gda Moran got the registration plate of his client’s car mixed up and put an incorrect one in his statement.

Insp Kay O’Donoghue said that the correct registration plate of 162C 7412 was on the accused’s charge sheet, and Judge Carroll agreed, convicting Mr Wall of drink driving and disqualifying him for two years.

Mr Horan said his client works in procurement in the pharma industry, is self-employed and has no previous convictions.

Recognisances in the event of an appeal were fixed in the defendant’s own bond of €100.