Wicklow drunk driver who was abusive to gardaí given jail term
The Wicklow PeopleA Wicklow man who crashed his car while under the influence of drink and drugs, and later became abusive to gardaí in a separate incident, has been banned from driving and handed prison sentences, some of which were suspended.
Sebastian Siek (44), of 38 The Close, Heatherside, Arklow, Co Wicklow was charged at Arklow District Court with dangerous driving, driving while under the influence of drugs and alcohol, and criminal damage, during an incident which occurred on September 10, 2024 on Arklow’s Main Street.
Mr Siek was also charged with failure to produce a valid insurance certificate and driving licence at Arklow Garda Station on September 11, 2024, and with intoxication in a public place and threatening/abusive behaviour in a public place on February 4, 2025.
The court heard that on September 10, 2024 Mr Siek was driving his Audi A4 when he drove off the road and his vehicle flipped over on Arklow Main Street, causing extensive damage to poles/street signs, litter bins and a ticket machine.
Mr Siek, who was not hurt in the crash, tested positive for drugs and had an alcohol blood level of 54 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath. The solicitor for the defendant showed Judge David Kennedy that Mr Siek’s insurance company has covered all damages that occurred during the incident.
The court heard that on February 4, 2025, gardaí were flagged down by a local resident, who informed them that Mr Siek, and a neighbour of the defendant who is known to gardaí, were being drunk and disorderly.
When gardaí approached Mr Siek, he was in his “boxer shorts and holding a half drank bottle of beer”. Mr Siek asked the officers: “Do you know who the f**k I am?” During the exchange, he also said “get the f**k out of my estate”. Mr Siek’s solicitor told the court that his client “has no recollection of the incident”.
The court heard that Mr Siek had problems with drinking and went on steps of his own to help fix his issues. His solicitor said that he had a letter from Mr Siek’s Polish doctor stating that he had undergone a medical implant procedure called ‘Antabuse’, designed to release tablets that cause severe side effects if Mr Siek consumed alcohol.
Mr Siek’s solicitor told the court his client was happily married for more than 20 years and was currently out of employment due to a hand injury. He added that his client acknowledges that his behaviour was extremely dangerous.
In his response, Judge Kennedy said that he felt Mr Siek “is extremely lucky he or somebody else wasn’t seriously injured”.
Mr Siek pleaded guilty to all charges and was given a total driving ban of four years, fines totalling €3,200 and prison sentences of six, three and two months, with suspended periods.
For dangerous driving he was disqualified from driving for three years, fined €500 with 10 months to pay, and sentenced to six months imprisonment, with the final three months suspended for two years.
For exceeding the alcohol limit he received a one-year disqualification from driving and a €500 fine, and for exceeding the drug limit he was sentenced to three months imprisonment, suspended for 12 months, along with a €500 fine. He was also fined €1,200 for criminal damage and €500 for driving without a licence, with 10 months to pay.
Other matters were taken into consideration, and for the public order charges he was sentenced to two months imprisonment, to run concurrently.