Derry-born footballer Shane Duffy has been hit with a three-year driving ban and fined £27,000 after pleading guilty to drink driving.
The Norwich City FC centre-back and Irish international footballer told police “it’s all my fault” after crashing his Range Rover in Norwich in May, days before the club played in a crucial Championship promotion play-off.
He hit a stationary car and was found to be almost three-times over the legal limit when breathalysed at the scene.
Mr Duffy (32), who has 61 caps for the Republic of Ireland, appeared before Norwich Magistrates’ Court this morning.
He entered a plea of guilty to drink driving, with the court told he has a previous drink driving conviction from nine years ago.
Duffy was fined £27,085 and given a 36-month driving disqualification, while being warned he risks being sent to prison if he breaches the terms of his road ban.
When his case was called, the charge was put him that on May 6 last he drove a Range Rover on Norwich Road while drink-driving with 102micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath.
The legal limit is 35mcg per 100ml of breath.
Standing in the dock Duffy, wearing a beige coat, white shirt and dark trousers, replied: “Guilty”.
Prosecuting counsel Rima Begum outlined the facts of the case, stating that police were called to the scene at 8.30pm following reports of a road collision.
She said Mr Duffy had driven into a stationary vehicle and was arrested after failing a preliminary breath test.
The court was told Mr Duffy made admissions at the scene and when taken into police custody answered “no comment” to all questions in interview.
In custody his alcohol reading was 102 mcg of alcohol per 100ml of breath.
Read more
NI ‘cocaine queen’ who was head of organised crime gang is jailed for drugs offences
‘I’ll sit outside with my Orange lilies’: Disabled boy’s great granny vows to face down loyalists after attack on new home
Gavin Robinson says DUP won’t support Naomi Long’s call to appeal sex law judgment
Ms Begum also said that the defendant has a relevant previous conviction in the last 10 years, and therefore the mandatory minimum 36-month disqualification applies.
The court was told an aggravating factor was that the case involved a road traffic collision, and applied for costs of £85 to be awarded against Mr Duffy.
Defence counsel Chris Brown said it was “incumbent in a case like this” to put forward an apology by his client at the outset.
“He in fact contacted me the day after this incident seeking advice on whether to issue a public apology”.
Mr Brown said the court was the environment for an apology to be issued, saying Mr Duffy apologises to all of those involved and effected by the consequences of his behaviour.
Counsel submitted that the previous drink driving conviction was “at the lower level of reading” with a bare minimum driving ban imposed when it occurred nine years ago.
Mr Duffy, the court was told, followed the rules imposed and the terms of that driving ban.
The court was told it may consider it has someone before them “who has a certain degree of privilege in life, a certain financial status which causes an arrogance and denial of responsibility”.
The defence counsel said this was not the case in relation to Shane Duffy, who went into the house close to where he crashed his car, gave his car keys to the homeowner, and waited until police arrived.
When police came on the scene Mr Duffy told them: “It’s all my fault”, and answered no comment in police custody on legal advice.
Within 10 days of the incident his partner contacted the owner of the car and paid over a “significant sum” to cover both the damage and inconvenience caused.
Mr Brown said his client was remorseful and that this was not borne out of an arrogance or privilege, and that Mr Duffy takes his role in the community seriously.
“Often the case sadly is that professional sports people find it difficult to admit their fallibilities,” Mr Brown said, adding that this was not the case with his client.
He said Duffy had previously accessed assistance and therapy following the death of his father, and that he “feels time is right” to engage with these services again.
The defence counsel said Duffy had also gone through a separation which was only finalised in the days before the incident, and “found himself drinking and making a fateful decision”.
In summary he pointed to Duffy’s early guilty plea, his remorse expressed and demonstrated by his actions, and his “determination to reflect on what’s effected his conduct and to do something about it”.
After a brief adjournment the Magistrates’ bench informed Duffy that they were disqualifying him from driving for 36 months, warning him that if he did drive while banned it would be a serious offence and he may be sent to prison and disqualified again.
He was also told that his driving licence was no longer valid and that he must apply for a new one, responding “Yes” when asked if he understood.
The court imposed a fine of £37,500, reduced to £25,000 because of his guilty plea. He was also ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £2,000 and court costs of £85, making the total fine imposed £27,085.
Duffy thanked the court and left with his partner, and declined to speak to reporters when approached outside the court.
He was then driven away by his partner in a white Mercedes G-Wagon.
Tags: