First Offaly conviction for e-scooter drink-driving

IN what is understood to be the first conviction of its kind in Offaly, a man has been disqualified after drink-driving on an e-scooter.

Tullamore District Court was told that gardai saw Lucasz Kot (42), Church Hill, Tullamore, falling off an e-scooter on Harbour Street in Tullamore after it wobbled on December 15 last.

The man was seen getting back onto the e-scooter and driving in and out of traffic, Sergeant Brendan Kearns told the court.

He then failed a roadside breath test and was arrested. A sample indicated he had a concentration of 78 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath.

Sergeant Kearns added that Mr Kot had five previous convictions, three of which were for public order offences, including public drunkenness.

He also had a conviction for possession of drugs for sale or supply dating from 2019 and had been ordered to complete 150 hours of community service in lieu of six months in prison.

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Garda Pat McGee told the court that he believed Mr Kot had been the holder of a provisional licence “at some stage”.

Defending solicitor Patrick Martin entered pleas of guilty to drink-driving a G4 e-scooter, and driving without insurance and a licence.

Mr Martin said his client was a father of two children aged 10 and 11 and was their sole carer because the children's mother had passed away a number of years ago.

Judge Andrew Cody disqualified Mr Kot for three years for intoxicated driving and two years for having no insurance.

He was also fined a total of €800, including €200 for having no driving licence, and was given six months to pay the fines.