Tesco Ireland was cleared yesterday of selling drink to a 15-year-old schoolboy. The Terenure College student later got so drunk that he narrowly avoided being hit by a car.
He bought two naggins of vodka from the supermarket chain's Rathmines branch without being asked for ID on St Patrick's Day last year.
In the Dublin District Court yesterday, Judge Mary Collins gave her decision on legal arguments between the State and Tesco made at an earlier hearing. She decided in favour of Tesco.
Last month, the mother of the 15-year-old told of her horror as she went to pick up the boy after he had gone into town for the parade. "I saw him staggering from the path to the road and it was just pure luck he did not get hit by a car."
The next day, his mother took him to the Garda station to report he had been sold the drink by Tesco who later provided gardaí with CCTV footage of the sale.