Man fined for failing to give a breath sample after crashing into garden wall in Sligo

By Nathan Molloy, The Sligo Champion

A 40-year-old man has been fined €250 at Sligo District Court for failing to provide a breath sample after he crashed his car into a garden wall.

Piotr Dudziak of Otterview Apartments, Markievicz Road, Sligo was charged with refusing to give a sample of breath to Sergeant Ciaran Gibbons at Markievicz Road on March 23, 2023.

Serrgeant David McDonagh told the court that at 6:45am, Sgt Gibbons was on duty when he received a call about a vehicle involved in a collision. Upon arrival at the scene, Sgt Gibbons saw that Dudziak crashed into the front wall of a garden.

Sgt Gibbons demanded the defendant to give him a sample of breath but Dudziak failed to do so.

The court heard that Dudziak had one previous conviction for drink-driving

Mr Mark Mullaney, solicitor (defending), told Judge Éiteáin Cunningham that his client fully co-operated with gardaí whilst in the Garda Station. He added that it was an unusual prosecution that the court does not see too often and that Dudziak had pleaded guilty.

Judge Cunningham said that Dudziak should have given a specimen of breath given his previous conviction. She fined the defendant €250.

Article funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme