‘Very sorry’: Longford motorist disqualified from driving for one year

A father of two  who was detected drug driving has been disqualified from driving for one year and fined.

Arkadiusz Adler, 45, of Cnoc na Greine, Granard, Longford pleaded guilty at the local district court to the offence last week.

Garda Edward Flanagan said he observed the defendant driving without wearing a seatbelt on January 29, 2023 and he stopped the driver and he spoke to him.

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The officer decided during his interaction with Mr Adler to request him to take a roadside oral fluid test for drugs and that test came back positive.

Garda Flanagan said the defendant was subsequently arrested and he provided a blood specimen to a doctor at the garda station and the result was also positive and it exceeded the drug-driving limit.

The court heard Mr Adler had no previous convictions.

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Solicitor Frank Gearty, defending, stated his client, a father of two children, has been living in Ireland for quite a number of years.

Mr Gearty said Mr Adler was compliant and cooperated with Gardaí.

"He works in a bakery where he is held in high regard by the community," he said. "He is very sorry to be here, he is a man of good standing otherwise."

Mr Gearty said his client is ordinarily a law-abiding person and he regretted the incident. 

Judge Bernadette Owens noted Mr Gearty's comments, Mr Adler's previous good record and his guilty plea but she said unfortunately her “hands were tied” and she would have to impose a disqualification.

She handed down the mandatory one year driving ban and a €500 fine with six months to pay.

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