A County Clare driver has been banned from driving for four years after refusing to give a blood sample because the designated doctor was black.
Ennis Circuit Judge Carroll Moran told John McNamara that he was ‘really appalled’ by his behavior and attitude towards the African doctor.
Sudanese born Dr. Awadilla Abdelrrazig was brought to Killaloe police station in East Clare to take a blood sample when McNamara was arrested on suspicion of drunk driving.
The court heard McNamara’s appeal against his initial district court conviction for the offense.
The Irish Times reports that Judge Moran said he was, “Really appalled by John McNamara’s conduct and attitude towards the doctor concerned.
“His reasons for not providing a sample to the doctor were quite objectionable.”
The judge upheld the four-year ban and fine of almost $4,000 imposed on McNamara in the District Court.
The appeal heard police officer Jarlath Hardiman say that McNamara was brought to his local station on suspicion of drunk-driving last August.
The officer said that when Abdelrrazig arrived at the station to take a blood sample McNamara said, “I’m not letting that black doctor near me. I’m not letting him do anything to me.”
The officer added that McNamara allowed Abdelrrazig to apply a tourniquet to his arm to take blood and efforts were made to draw blood with a needle.
The Irish Times report says McNamara was restless in the chair, resulting in Abdelrrazig not being able to take the sample.
Abdelrrazig told the court, “He was making inappropriate comments to me and said that he wasn’t giving blood to a black doctor. He also said that he doubted that I was a doctor.”
Defense lawyers for McNamara, who is in his 50s and divorced, told Abdelrrazig his client ‘wishes to apologize to you, and what he said to you on the night he deeply regrets.’
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