Drug-driving charge lands Sliabh Liag murder accused six-year ban

A Donegal man facing a murder trial has been banned from driving for six years after being caught speeding while under the influence of drugs.

Alan Vial was charged with drug-driving and two counts of dangerous driving in February, 2023.

Vial is currently in custody at Castlerea Prison and awaiting trial having been charged with the murder of Robert Wilkin, whose body was found off the Sliabh Liag cliffs last summer.

Vial, a 38-year-old of Drumanoo Head, Killybegs, was not present when his case was heard at Buncrana District Court.

Inspector Paul Gallagher outlined the case to Judge Ciaran Liddy.

He said that at 9.40am on the day in question, gardai received a report about a black Skoda driving dangerously on the Donegal Town-Ballybofey road.

Gardai encountered the vehicle at McClay's Corner in Stranorlar and identified the driver as being Vial, whose face was “flushed” while he had “glassy eyes and slurred speech”.

A roadside test was performed and Vial tested positive for the presence of cocaine and cannabis.

Vial was arrested and conveyed to Letterkenny Garda Station before being released three hours later as no medical professional was available to carry out a further test.

Before being encountered at McClay's Corner, Vial was observed driving dangerously at Cashelnavean. He was said to have been driving at “great speed” and overtook a vehicle on a solid white line.

At Meencrumlin, Vial performed an overtake manoeuvre, going past three vehicles and forcing oncoming traffic to the hard shoulder.

Mr Patsy Gallagher, solicitor for Vial, said that his client had a “complete breakdown” in late 2022 and into 2023.

Mr Gallagher said that since entering custody Vial has begun third level education via correspondence and is working in the kitchen of the prison.

Earlier this year, Vial was put off the road for two years after he drove a stolen 20 ton rigid lorry 100km across Donegal from Dunkineely to Lifford, via Fintown, Glenswilly and Letterkenny. He was charged with 15 counts of dangerous driving and was also given a sentence of eight months in prison for stealing the lorry, which he drove through the gates of a fish factory in Dunkineely, also in February 2023.

Judge Liddy issued a six-year disqualification for drug driving and two-year disqualifications on each of the two dangerous driving charges with the bans to run concurrently.

Legal aid was granted to Mr Gallagher.

Vial and a co-accused, Nikita Burns (22), of Bundoran Westend Accommodation, Westend Magheracar, Bundoran, County Donegal are accused of murdering Robert Wilkin at a place unknown within the State on June 25, 2023.

Over two hundred witnesses are involved in the case.

In December, at the Central Criminal Court, Mr Justice Paul McDermott fixed a date of January 13, 2025 for the trial, which is expected to last four weeks.