People (Attorney General) v Regan

• Jurisdiction: Ireland
• Judgment Date: 01 January 1975
• Date: 01 January 1975
• Docket Number: [No. 14 of 1974]
• Court: Court of Criminal Appeal

(C.C.A.)

The People (Attorney General)

and

Regan

Charge of dangerous driving causing death -Whether accused's consumption of alcohol relevant -Road Traffic Act, 1961 (No. 24), s. 53.

Evidence that the accused consumed a significant quantity of intoxicating liquor within a material period prior to the time of commission of the offence charged is relevant and admissible in law at the trial of the accused on a charge of driving a vehicle in a public place in a manner which is dangerous to the public, contrary to s. 53 of the Road Traffic Act, 1961. The fact that the trial judge, in the absence of the jury, has only heard the evidence of one of the available witnesses to the accused's state of intoxication does not necessarily preclude the judge from ruling upon the admissibility of that class of evidence. So Held by the Court of Criminal Appeal (Griffin, Murnaghan and Gannon JJ.). The People (Attorney General) v. MooreDIJR [1964] Ir. Jur. Rep 6 a...