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06 Sept 2025

Derry Court: Drink driver became 'threatening and abusive' to police

Man returned for trial to Derry Crown Court on 28 charges

Derry Magistrates Court

When police stopped a suspected drink driver he became 'threatening and abusive' towards them Derry Magistrate's Court heard today.

Gérard Brendan Brolly (58) of Glenshane Road in Derry admitted a series of offences that occurred on July 1 this year.

On that date at around 7pm police received a report of a suspected drink driver.

Shortly afterwards they located the vehicle being driven by the defendant.

When asked to exit the vehicle Brolly was found to have been unsteady on his feet. 

He failed a preliminary breath test and then became abusive calling police 'black b-----s and gypsy b-----s.'

Brolly refused to give an evidential breath test. 

Defence counsel Stephen Chapman said that his client had nothing previous for drink driving. 

He said that the defendant had been drinking in a club bar after a match and it is thought that a member of the public who was also in the bar had phoned the police.

The barrister said that his client accepted that his behaviour was 'out of order'.

Brolly was given a three month sentence suspended for 2 years, disqualified from driving for 12 months and fined £250.

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