Slow driving draws garda attention and gets Letterkenny man drug-driving conviction

A young Letterkenny man's slow driving drew the attention of gardai and resulted in a drug-driving detection.

Christopher McFarland was banned from driving for a year when he appeared before Judge Éiteáin Cunningham this week.

McFarland, a 22-year-old of Riverside Apartments, Lower Main Street, Letterkenny, is serving a sentence at Castlerea Prison and appeared via video link.

McFarland was charged over an incident on April 9, 2021.

Sergeant Gerard Dalton told the court that Gardai were on patrol and travelling on the Leck road towards the N13 when they met a Toyota Corolla, which was going “in a very slow manner”.

Gardai followed the car and signalled for it to stop.

Sergeant Dalton said officers “made a number of observations” and carried out an oral fluid test, which was positive for cannabis.

McFarland was arrested and taken to Letterkenny Garda Station, where he provided a sample of blood. This was sent for analysis and came back as positive for cannabis.

Solicitor Mr Patsy Gallagher said his client has no previous convictions for similar offences.

He said McFarland was due for release soon,

Legal aid was granted to Mr Gallagher.

For drug-driving, Judge Cunningham fined McFarland €200 and disqualified him from driving for one year.

Judge Cunningham marked a charge of possession of cannabis as taken into account and legal aid was granted to Mr Gallagher.