A Wicklow woman who crashed several times into a vehicle that attempted to block her from exiting a cul-de-sac over concerns she was drunk behind the wheel has been given a fully suspended prison sentence.
The incident occurred after a motorist, Lachlan Gillespie, became concerned by the erratic driving behaviour of Duffy. Sergeant O’Brien said the damage to Mr Gillespie’s VW Golf occurred when Duffy tried to get past the vehicle, which he had parked to effectively trap her in a cul-de-sac. Counsel for the accused, Comfort Odesola BL, said Duffy had experienced a number of traumatic incidents in the past which had led her to struggle with alcohol and substance abuse.
Sentencing Duffy to 18 months in prison, Judge Terence O’Sullivan said there was “no possible excuse” for her actions.He said the evidence also showed she had “a bit of a temper and a bit of an attitude” and clearly was someone who should not drink alcohol. The judge acknowledged that Duffy had suffered a lot of stress, misery and a number of “unfortunate events” in her past but said she also had to take moral responsibility for her actions.