Robert Canty v His Honour Judge Carroll Moran and Another
[2014] IEHC 103
THE HIGH COURT
BETWEEN
AND
AND
2013/459JR - Kearns - High - 7/3/2014 - 2014 IEHC 103
JUDGMENT of Kearns P. delivered on the 7thday of March, 2014
In this case the applicant seeks an order of certiorari to quash the decision of the first named respondent delivered on the 19 th March, 2013, whereby he dismissed an appeal from the District Court convicting the applicant of an offence contrary to s. 49 of the Road Traffic Act 1961 (as amended). The particulars of the offence were that on the 30 th September, 2011, Garda Ferriter observed the applicant driving a motor van erratically in a public place near Tarbert in Co. Kerry. When he stopped the vehicle he observed that the applicant's eyes were red and detected a very strong smell of what he believed to be cannabis. Having duly cautioned the applicant, the applicant admitted that he had smoked a joint of cannabis. Garda Ferriter states that when the applicant stepped out of his van that his balance was poor. He thus formed the opinion under s. 14 of the Road Traffic Act 1994 (as amended by s. 23 of the Road Traffic Act 2002) that the applicant was under the influence of a drug to such an extent as to render him incapable of having proper control of a mechanically propelled vehicle in a public place.
He informed the applicant of that suspicion and required him to accompany him to Listowel Garda Station. The applicant agreed to do so on a voluntary basis and, on arrival at the garda station, was introduced to the member in charge as "a person who had agreed to accompany Garda Ferriter to the garda station".
While voluntarily in the garda station the applicant agreed to provide a specimen of his urine for Dr. O'Connor, the designated medical practitioner, which said specimen was duly forwarded to the Medical Bureau of Road Safety where analysis of the urine revealed a concentration of drugs of the cannabinoid class.
As the evidence later tendered in court revealed, the applicant, upon arrival in the garda station, had been treated for record purposes as a person in custody. His details were inserted in the custody record by the member in charge, one Garda Daniel Maguire. He gave evidence in the District Court that the applicant had been provided with information in accordance with Regulation 81 of the Treatment of Persons in Custody Regulations 1987 and 2006. Garda Maguire gave evidence that he had informed the applicant of the reason for his "arrest" and had...
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