Young driver from Carlow had drugs in his system
Carlow Courthouse Photo: Michael O'Rourke
A YOUNG motorist with 38 previous convictions has been warned that the threat of custody remains open after he was caught driving with cocaine and cannabis in his system and without insurance.
Kristers Butovskis (23) of Browneshill Rise, Browneshill Road, Carlow appeared before Judge John King at Carlow District Court, where his solicitor Chris Hogan entered a guilty plea to all charges on his behalf.
The court heard that on 4 May 2025 at 8.48pm, Garda Ryan stopped a vehicle at a garda checkpoint on Castlecomer Road, Carlow. The driver, Mr Butovskis, failed a roadside oral fluid test and was arrested and brought to Carlow Garda Station.
A blood sample was obtained and he was found to have 43ng/ml of cocaine and 51.4ng/ml of cannabis in his system.
While in custody, Mr Butovskis was found in possession of “green plant material” and made full admissions to having cannabis for his personal use.
A lawful demand was made for a certificate of insurance and his driving licence, which he failed to produce.
The court heard the defendant has 38 previous convictions, including one for attempting to drive while exceeding the drug limit, eight for no insurance and four for possession of drugs.
Mr Hogan said his client wished to apologise to the court.
“How many times has he apologised before?” Judge King replied wryly.
“A number in fairness to him, but he has co-operated with the gardaí,” said Mr Hogan, adding that Mr Butovskis is 23 years old and was only 21 at the time of the offences.
“Obviously youth is not an excuse, but it is a significant point of mitigation,” he said.
The solicitor told the court that his client had a “difficult enough upbringing”, had come to Ireland from Poland and had “got involved in a drug-using peer group”.
Mr Hogan said that when his client first got into trouble with gardaí, he had a “fatalistic approach”, but the number of times he had appeared in court had “opened up his eyes”.
He said Mr Butovskis returned to Poland to work and came back to Ireland “when he felt strong enough”. He is now drug free and in full-time employment installing solar panels.
Mr Hogan said he hoped the court would not “go with the nuclear option”, meaning a custodial sentence.
Judge King said he would impose a substantial fine but wanted to put the matter back to see how the defendant does with a community service order. He imposed a fine of €3,000, to be paid within six months, covering the drug-driving charge, possession of drugs for personal use and “the driving licence matters”.
The judge adjourned the case for six months and said he was “keeping section 56 open”, the no insurance charge, adding that if anything, it would be the no insurance offence for which the defendant would go into custody.
