LEGENDARY singer songwriter Donovan was left feeling “mellow yellow” after being convicted of dangerous driving today.
The 1960’s pop icon, who hit No1 in the US with Sunshine Superman in 1966, was arrested in February after he was reported for driving erratically.
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He had earlier in the day pre-recorded an episode of the Tommy Tiernan Show in West Cork.
The 77-year-old Scottish native, of Castlemagner, Kanturk, County Cork, has been living in Ireland for decades.
Famed for his 1967 hit Mellow Yellow, he faced three charges in respect of his driving between Leap and Skibbereen.
It included dangerous driving at Smorane, being drunk in charge of a vehicle at Aghills, and failing to provide a breath sample.
In Skibbereen District Court, Veronica Whooley said on February 11 she was a passenger in a car driving from Skibbereen towards Leap.
Concerned at the poor driving of the car in front, she called the Gardai.
Garda Daniel Quinlan located Donovan’s car parked partially on the road with its headlights on, adding: “He came across as very disorientated. His eyes were glazed and bloodshot and there was a strong smell of alcohol.
“I conversed with him and he kept saying, ‘I’m fine, I’m fine.’
“He enquired if everything was okay and if he had damaged any person or property.
“I informed him, to my knowledge, he had not. He gave me his details – his address and his date of birth.
“His speech was slightly slurred but not over-slurred to be fair to him.”
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Garda Quinlan added: “I observed an open bottle of wine in the central console of the vehicle. It was half empty.
“He thanked me for looking after him.
“He said he was on his way home to Castlemagner.
“I asked him if he knew where he was and he replied he did not.
“I formed the opinion that he was incapable of being in proper control of a mechanically propelled vehicle in a public place due to intoxication.
“At 8.30pm I arrested him for drink driving.”
He said Donovan told him, “I have made an awful mistake”, saying he was on the Tommy Tiernan Show that night.
Donovan was charged with being drunk in charge of a vehicle and also with failure or refusal to give a breath sample.
When charged he said, ‘I’m sorry – yes I agree” to the first charge, and “I’m sorry” to the second one.
Judge James McNulty said expert medical evidence confirmed an undiagnosed lung disease which would have prevented the accused from giving a breath sample.
He dismissed the charge.
He added: “I have no hesitation in finding on the evidence that the defendant was driving dangerously. I am convicting him.”
With regard to the final charge of being drunk in charge of a vehicle he said he would reserve his judgement to consider submissions.
He deferred penalty on the dangerous driving conviction but said a two year disqualification from driving was mandatory.
He adjourned the case for a final decision to Skibbereen District Court on February 13 next.
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