Woman was falling asleep while driving on the ‘most dangerous road’ in Laois

A woman was falling asleep while driving on “the most dangerous road in County Laois”, a sitting of Portlaoise District Court was told. 

Julie Nevin (39) of 64 Cosby Avenue, Fairgreen, Portlaoise didn’t appear in court where she was charged with dangerous driving. 

Garda Aran Grehan gave evidence of seeing the woman asleep in a black Peugeot car parked in an age-friendly parking space outside the Post Office in Lyster Square, Portlaoise at 11.20am on June 6 last. 

Garda Grehan said she approached the driver who she knew and who was “asleep in the car” at the time. 

“She told me she had fallen asleep and that she was going home,” said Garda Grehan. 

The woman then “pulled out of the space in a dangerous manner” causing two elderly people to step out of the way. 

Judge Andrew Cody asked about the age friendly car parking spaces. He was told two spaces were set up by Laois County Council who issue permits for people over the age of 65.  

Garda Rebecca Gavin said she received a call on the day from Garda Grehan about the “car driving in an erratic manner” out of Lyster Square. She spotted the same vehicle on the Abbeyleix Road roundabout and followed it onto the Mountmelllick Road. 

Garda Gavin said the car was speeding up and slowing down and “on three separate occasions” it swerved over the white line nearly colliding with other vehicles. 

She said the driver, Julie Nevin Harty, was pulled over on the Mountmellick Road. 

“Her speech was slurred, her eyes were bloodshot and she was falling asleep at the wheel,” she explained. 

She tested the woman for drugs and got a positive reading for benzodiazepine. However, at the station she was unable to give blood, said Garda Gavin. 

Solicitor Michael Byrne said the driving was of a standard that wasn’t expected but he asked that the judge instead consider reducing the charge to careless driving. 

Judge Andrew Cody said he had to give consideration to the road conditions. 

“The most dangerous road in County Laois is the Mountmellick Road,” he told Mr Byrne. He said that was according to the Road Safety Authority’s matrix. 

Despite it being dangerous, he said, “they never have a speed camera there because it is too narrow.” 

He said it was a very dangerous road and the defendant crossed over a white line three times and was braking for no reason. 

“When she was stopped she was falling asleep,” he said. 

He said despite not being present,  the woman had another case in for finalisation at the sitting. She had been convicted of dangerous driving at Kilminchy, Portlaoise and failing to give a specimen at Portlaoise Garda Station on February 28, 2024 at a sitting of Portlaoise District Court in July.

He asked whether the woman had any previous convictions. 

Garda Noel Tier said she had 33 previous convictions in total. 

Judge Cody convicted the woman, imposed two four year and a two year driving ban and fined her a total of €750.  He fixed recognisance in case of appeal.