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Drink-driving case adjourned over High Court ruling on blood samples

Summary

In a Tallaght District Court hearing on 9 September 2025, a woman named Cathrina Boyle, aged 65, was accused of drink‑driving on the N81 on 22 December 2023. Garda Paul Byrne stopped her vehicle after noticing erratic driving, observed blood‑shot eyes, slurred speech, and a strong smell of alcohol, and arrested her. Boyle voluntarily gave a blood sample, which was sealed, labelled, and sent to the Medical Bureau of Road Safety. The sample reportedly returned a concentration of 227 mg of alcohol per 100 ml, exceeding the legal limit. Defence counsel Oisín Clarke argued that the chain of custody for the specimen was not proven, citing a recent High Court decision in Ratinskis v DPP that quashed a conviction on similar grounds. Judge Patricia McNamara adjourned the case to 23 October, noting the High Court ruling had not yet formally taken effect. The unnamed accused pleaded not guilty.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Drink-driving case adjourned over High Court ruling on blood samples. Charges or matters: drink driving under Section 4 of the Road Traffic Act, 2010. Procedural stage: charge_or_pretrial

When:

• 22 December Adjournment
• 5 August Hearing Or Sentence
• 23 October Adjournment
• Christmas Other
• 2025-09-09 Publication

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Stage Charge Or Pretrial

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Read the original CNI report