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06 Sept 2025
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06 Sept 2025
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The defendant plead guilty, he was banned from driving for one year and fined €450.
A defendant who pleaded guilty to driving with cocaine in system when stopped by Gardaí was fined €450 and banned from driving for a year.
Martin Ward (28) of 69 Cullairbaun, Athenry, Galway was stopped by Gardaí at 5:30pm on February 13, 2023 at Market Square, Longford.
Mr Ward failed a road side oral fluid test for cocaine, and a subsequent blood test showed he had cocaine in his system beyond the legal limit.
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The defendant's solicitor, Fiona Baxter, said her client did not want to delay the case and was entering a guilty plea to “get the matter over with”.
Mr Ward could have had his case adjourned pending the outcome of the review of the O'Flaherty High Court decision that confirmed Gardaí had no implied power to detain a driver pending the result of a roadside saliva drug test.
Ms Baxter described her client as a hard-working father of one child with another on the way. She said Mr Ward wanted to put this matter behind him and “get back on track”.
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Judge Owens registered a conviction and imposed a fine of €450 with five months to pay. The defendant was also disqualified from holding a licence for one year.
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