Traditional musician Sharon Shannon was acquitted on a technicality today of drunken driving after it emerged at Galway Circuit Appeal Court that the summons served on her for the offence was invalid because it had been issued a day too late.
Ms Shannon, of Devon Gardens, Salthill, Galway, had been convicted of drunken driving at Galway District Court last February.
She had contested the charge in the District Court saying she had not been driving her car when it crashed into a parked car at 6.30 a.m. on September 26th, 20001, at Taylor's Hill, Galway.
Her friend, Mr Leo Healy told the court he had been driving. At the time Judge Mary Fahy said Ms Shannon and her friends had told lies to the court. Ms Shannon was convicted and fined Eur 800 and disqualified her from driving for two years.
However, today Ms Shannon successfully appealed the conviction on the grounds that the summons had been served on her the day after the six-month expiry date for the issuing of a summons.
State solicitor, Mr William Kennedy said the State would be offering no evidence in the matter.
He said the case had attained a certain amount of notoriety but the summons issued in the case — bearing in mind, he said, a more recent Circuit Court decision — had been issued 'out of time'.
Judge Harvey Kenny said he was allowing the appeal.
In a statement issued afterwards, Ms Shannon said: "I am delighted with today's decision by the court to grant my appeal.
It has been a very stressful time for me personally and for all my friends involved with this case and it is a welcome relief that it has now come to a satisfactory end."