'mortified' Drunk teen (19) who ‘played chicken’ with traffic escapes conviction

A young man who was running over and back across a road causing cars to take evasive action has escaped a conviction after he made a donation to charity.

Robert Davitt, Taylor Hill Walk, Balbriggan, pleaded guilty to being intoxicated in a public place on June 26 last year.

Balbriggan District Court heard that while on duty, gardaí observed a number of males shouting and roaring.

They directed them to leave the area but the defendant was running back and forth and then stood in the middle of the road.

Defence solicitor Fiona Kelly said the 19-year-old was “extremely apologetic” for his behaviour on the night and had made it his business to furnish a letter of apology to gardaí.

He is currently employed as an apprentice carpenter/joiner and is “mortified” about what happened.

“Excitement and stupidity” got the better of him as this was one of his first nights out after lockdown, the solicitor said.

Judge Dermot Dempsey ordered at the district court, that the €300 donation be paid to Family Life Services and struck the matter out.