Judge says she can assist Louth drink driver with ‘mental block’ on Road Traffic legislation

By Francis Carroll, The Drogheda Independent

A motorist has been warned that his case being put back for a probation report was not an indication that he would avoid jail.

Judge Nicola Andrews was speaking to John Mongan (32) after he pleaded guilty to drink driving while disqualified.

The defendant, of Cookstown Cross, Ardee, also admitted further charges of having neither insurance nor driving licence, and failing to produce those documents.

Ardee District Court heard of 16 previous convictions, including for drink driving and careless driving.

Solicitor Fergal Boyle said that Mr Mongan “quite clearly has a mental block on Road Traffic legislation”.

“I can assist with that,” Judge Andrews responded.

Mr Boyle continued that his client had been out socialising on this occasion. He couldn’t get a taxi and made an “incredibly foolish” decision.

A carer for his parents, he needed some sort of education.

He shouldn’t have been on the road at all. He was looking at a custodial sentence.

Mr Boyle asked the court to stay its hand and place Mr Mongan on an appropriate course or “risk going around in circles”.

Judge Andrews remanded him on continuing bail to April 10 for a probation report, remarking that this was not an indication of no custodial sentence.

The defendant must not come to Garda attention in the meantime, while the court wanted to know that he had taken steps to address issues with alcohol. He needed to liaise with his GP.

Sgt Laura Blanche had presented evidence that at 8.34pm on October 21, 2025, Gardaí saw Mr Mongan driving “in an alarming manner” on the N2 Hunterstown, Ardee.

He failed a roadside breath test and subsequently provided samples which showed an over the limit reading of 62mg of alcohol per 100ml of breath.