Ireland Case No. 13801Drug driving · Co. Longford · 2 Dec 2022
Drug driving case against Owen Sweeney dismissed over checkpoint authorisation flaw
On 2 December 2022, gardaí stopped Owen Sweeney, a man of Cloonfree, Strokestown, Co Roscommon, driving a Ford Focus at a mandatory intoxicant checkpoint at Mullolagher, Longford. He was arrested after a roadside oral fluid test and charged with drug driving, and he pleaded not guilty at Longford District Court. Judge Bernadette Owens dismissed the case over a spelling mistake and location error on the checkpoint authorisation form, a ruling reported on 9 May 2025.
- Reported
- Arrested
- Charged
- In court
- Verdict
- Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- Owen Sweeney, of Cloonfree, Strokestown, Co Roscommon, is a man who was accused of drug driving.
- Where
- Gardaí ran a mandatory intoxicant checkpoint at Mullolagher, Longford, on 2 December 2022.
- When
- Gardaí stopped Sweeney driving a Ford Focus just before 10.50am on 2 December 2022.
- Investigation
- A garda noticed that Sweeney's eyes were glassed over and his mouth was dry.
- Sweeney was arrested after a roadside oral fluid test for drugs.
- Charges
- Sweeney was charged with drug driving.
- In court
- Sweeney pleaded not guilty at Longford District Court.
- Judge Bernadette Owens found a fatal flaw in the checkpoint authorisation and dismissed the case in the week before 9 May 2025.
- Other details
- The updated Drager 5000 device came into use the day before Sweeney was detected.
- A garda said officers learned to use the device by watching a training video.
- The court heard that the checkpoint authorisation document contained an error and a spelling mistake about the checkpoint location.
- The prosecution cited a High Court judgment from a 2011 challenge in which only the townland Vicarstown was included.
- The prosecution said the case had succeeded in one of three similar cases in the country, while the court report says no existing case matched this one.
- Sentence
- No sentence was imposed because the case was dismissed.
12 statements extracted from the articles
- whereOwen Sweeney, of Cloonfree, Strokestown, Co Roscommon, pleaded not guilty at Longford District Court. (longfordleader.ie)
- whenThe checkpoint stop took place on 2 December 2022 at Mullolagher, Longford. (longfordleader.ie)
- whenGardaí stopped Sweeney driving a Ford Focus just before 10.50am. (longfordleader.ie)
- investigationA garda noticed Sweeney's eyes were glassed over and his mouth was dry. (longfordleader.ie)
- investigationSweeney was arrested after a roadside oral fluid test for drugs. (longfordleader.ie)
- chargeSweeney was accused of drug driving. (longfordleader.ie)
- courtJudge Bernadette Owens found a fatal flaw in the checkpoint authorisation and dismissed the case. (longfordleader.ie)
- otherThe updated Drager 5000 device came into use the day before Sweeney was detected. (longfordleader.ie)
- otherThe garda said officers had watched a training video and learnt how to use the device. (longfordleader.ie)
- otherThe court heard there was an error and a spelling mistake on the checkpoint authorisation document about the checkpoint location. (longfordleader.ie)
- otherThe prosecution cited a High Court judgment from a 2011 challenge where only the townland Vicarstown was included. (longfordleader.ie)
- otherThe prosecution said the case had been successful in one of three similar cases in the country. (longfordleader.ie)
The reporting
newest first- 8 May2025Longford District Court dismisses case due to "fatal flaw" on checkpoint authorisation form
Court report on the dismissal of the drug driving case at Longford District Court. Judge Bernadette Owens dismissed it over a spelling mistake on the checkpoint authorisation form. No existing case matched this one.
accused, Owen Sweeney, male, named, irish (judged from name)Owen Sweeney