Newspaper columnist Dr Robin O'Reilly was yesterday fined €600 and banned from driving for a year after a court heard she hit a parked car while drink-driving.
Dublin Daily social diarist, Dr O'Reilly, Leeson Park, Ranelagh, Dublin, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol, careless driving and failing to stop at the scene of the accident at Leeson Street on October 2nd last year. Other summonses for failing to report the accident, failing to remain at the scene and dangerous driving were struck out.
Dublin District Court heard she was driving a 99D BMW 740 along Pembroke Street at around 2.45 a.m. and as she approached the junction with Leeson Street she hit a parked 95D Opel Astra. She did not remain at the scene but the incident was reported to gardaí by two members of the public.
Garda Paul Moran, Donnybrook, said at 3.30 a.m., he called to Dr O'Reilly's home and arrested her on suspicion of drink-driving. She was taken to Pearse Street Garda Station where she gave a breath specimen. The reading was 47 mg of alcohol per 100 ml of breath.
Her solicitor told the court she "somewhat panicked" after hitting the car and left the scene. However, she immediately admitted hitting the car when the garda arrived on her doorstep.
She had met the case fairly, even though, as it was a breath test matter, she could have exercised her option to fight it on the basis of many similar cases which have been the subject of recent High Court legal challenges. "She is the mother of three children and is a doctor working part-time and earning €250 a week". She realised she would be put off the road and asked that the disqualification be postponed for a few months.
The court also heard from the owner of the Astra, Ms Patty Roche, who said that although she had received €2,500 compensation from Dr O'Reilly's insurance company, which wrote off her car, she did not feel she had been fully compensated.
She had paid €4,000 for the Astra, but was only given the "book value" of the car by the insurance company, she said.
Judge Timothy Lucey said if she had a problem with what she had received, she should instruct a solicitor.
He ordered Dr O'Reilly to pay Ms Roche €100 expenses for attending court. He imposed a fine of €300 for drink driving, €150 for careless driving and €150 for failing to stop. He said the 12 months' disqualification should not come into force until June 1st.