Gheorge Bot
A man spent a week in prison after being arrested because he had the
exact same name as his brother.
Gheorge Bot appeared at Letterkenny District Court charged with a series of driving offences.
However, Mr Bot had the cases against him dismissed after Judge Paul
Kelly heard of the mix-up.
To avoid confusion in the case, his own barrister referred to him as
Gheorge One – saying the alleged offences were committed by his
brother, also known as Gheorge Two.
Barrister Kathleen Henry said the man who should be before the court
on driving charges is Gheorge Bot of The Willows, Lough Na Glack,
Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan.
The man she represented – and who was in court – was a different
Gheorge Bot of Shercock Road, Bailieboro, Co Cavan, or Gheorge 2.
Due to confusion in the case, Ms Henry told Judge Paul Kelly, Gheorge
Bot 1 had spent a week in Castlerea Prison.
“The two men are brothers and there is a year of difference in age
between them,” said the barrister.
“Their father is also called Gheorge and both sons were named in his
honour. They even refer to themselves as Gheorge 1 and Gheorge 2.
Gheorge 2 has gone home to Romania to his father-in-law’s funeral and
couldn’t be in court today,” she said.
Mr Bot addressed the court and said it was a custom in his native
Romania that a father gave his sons the same name.
Gheorge 2 is now facing charges of careless driving, no road tax, no
insurance, no NCT, no tax in Letterkenny on June 1, 2015.
“So when is George the Second going to be able to come her to deal
with the matter?” asked Judge Kelly.
The barrister asked for a hearing on September 1st.
There was laughter in court as Judge Kelly commented: “It strikes me
that as the father has the same name he was probably Gheorge the 1st,
this man before me is Gheorge the second and the other Gheorge
currently in Romania is Gheorge the third!”
The case was adjourned until September.