'Near empty' whiskey bottle found on seat of car during stop on the M7 in Laois

A driver had a bottle of whiskey in the passenger seat of his car when he was stopped for not having tax on the motorway in Laois. 

Gabor Rozsa (46) of Apartment 5, Kildare House, Claregate Street, Kildare, admitted drink driving on the M7 east bound at Ballyadding, Ballybrittas, on October 15, 2025. 

Garda Sergeant JJ Kirby thanked the defendant for the guilty plea. He said the incident occurred when a Garda conducting speeding checks detected a 12 KE registered car with out of date tax and pulled the car over.

“He observed a near empty bottle of whiskey on the passenger seat,” said Sgt Kirby. 

He said the defendant, who had no previous convictions and was cooperative, provided a sample of 51mgs per 100mls of breath.  

Solicitor Josephine Fitzpatrick explained that the man’s mother had been hospitalised in Hungary and he was unable to go and visit her. She said he had “sought solace” where he shouldn’t have. 

Ms Fitzpatrick said the man works as a general operative in an asbestos management company. She asked that any disqualification be postponed to allow him get his affairs in order. 

Judge Susan Fay fined the man €350 and disqualified him from driving for two years. She postponed the disqualification until August 1, 2026.