Eoin McGovern: Irish accountant sentenced for drink driving after Christmas celebrations

An Irish accountant’s boozy Christmas celebrations ended in court, after being caught behind the wheel almost two times above the legal blood alcohol limit the following day.

Eoin McGovern appeared in Waverley Local Court.

An Irish accountant’s boozy Christmas celebrations ended in court, after being caught behind the wheel almost two times above the legal blood alcohol limit the following day.

Eoin McGovern, 26, appeared in Waverley Local Court on Tuesday to be sentenced following a plea of guilty to mid-range drink driving.

Agreed facts tendered to court state McGovern, who had recently moved to Bondi, was stopped at a random breath testing site about 12pm on Boxing Day.

When McGovern was asked by police if he had any alcohol, he told police he drank “last night”, before returning a positive result.

He was arrested and taken to Waverley police station where he recorded a reading of 0.094.

Waverley Court House. Picture by Damian Shaw

McGovern told police he had a bottle of white wine, followed by 10 cans of “an unknown spirit or beer” over a 12-hour period.

In court on Tuesday, McGovern’s lawyer Mr Garcia said his client now realised he should’ve waited before getting behind the wheel.

Mr Garcia said the 26-year-old had shown true contrition and remorse and has made active steps in addressing the offending by completing the traffic offender’s program.

The court heard McGovern was an accountant and in Australia on a working visa.

“He is hoping [his work] will sponsor him, a conviction will affect his sponsorship,” Mr Garcia said. “They will not employ him if he has a criminal record.”

Mr Garcia said McGovern was looking to volunteer and teach tennis, having represented Ireland previously in junior competitions.

However Magistrate Milledge said drink driving happens far too often.

“You made a mistake and it happens to a lot of … decent hard working people,” she said.

Despite convicting McGovern, Magistrate Milledge said “shame on your organisation” if they were to “boot him out the door”.

“I tend to think they’ll keep you on. This isn’t going to ruin your life, it’s not going to ruin your prospects of getting a visa in this country,” she said.

Along with the conviction McGovern was fined $1200, disqualified from driving for three months and will be required to install an alcohol interlock device to his car.