North Kildare man with previous conviction for dangerous driving causing serious harm convicted for drug-driving offence

A North Kildare resident with a previous conviction for dangerous driving causing serious harm was convicted at Naas District for a drug-driving offence.

Edmund Tully, of Mapel Lodge, Ovidstown in Straffan, was convicted by Judge Desmond Zaidan on Thursday, October 12 last.

The court was told that on the night of June 4, 2021, the 32-year-old was stopped at a garda checkpoint on the Moyglare Road.

Gardaí said that they noticed a smell of cannabis from his car, and noted that he was acting 'irrational and agitated.'

After providing an oral sample to gardaí upon request, he was found to have been driving under the influence of cannabis.

This fact was later confirmed again after a follow-up blood test was taken on Mr Tully.

In addition, gardaí who searched his car found €30 worth of cannabis there.

The court was told that Mr Tully has two previous convictions, one of which is for dangerous driving causing serious harm in 2011.

He was given a suspended three-year sentence and was disqualified from driving for seven years for this offence.

Mr Tully was also fined €200 and had a four-year driving disqualification imposed on him (which ran concurrently to the seven-year ban) for a separate 2011 offence.

After consideration, Judge Zaidan fined Mr Tully €1,000 for the drug-driving offence, and also imposed a two-year driving ban on him.

The judge fined Mr Tully a further €350 for the simple possession offence, and gave him two months to pay it.