A young pipe-layer, who drove without insurance in Inishowen last year, has avoided a driving ban in court.
Padraig Doherty, of Cloontagh, Clonmany, admitted a charge of uninsured driving when he appeared before Buncrana District Court.
A second charge of drink driving against the 19-year-old will be contested on “technical grounds” at a later date, his solicitor said.
Garda Sergeant Emmet Brady outlined the evidence in the no insurance case, explaining how the detection was made at Lisfannon, Buncrana on Saturday, December 7, 2024.
At 11.20pm that night Garda Keith Conlon was on mobile patrol, travelling behind another vehicle, a 08-DL-registered black Volkswagen Golf.
The VW was flagged up as having no insurance on the system and Garda Conlon stopped the car and spoke with the driver Padraig Doherty, who made admissions about having no insurance.
Sgt Brady said Mr Doherty was cautioned in the usual manner and has no previous convictions.
Defence solicitor Ciaran Mac Lochlainn said his client is a young single man, who lives at home with his parents.
He said Mr Doherty needs his licence for a number of reasons, including for work purposes.
“He’s a pipe layer by trade and he works in Dublin. He drives to Dublin on the Monday morning and drives back home on the Friday evening. He needs his licence for work and he hopes to go to Australia next year.”
“He lives five miles away from the nearest town of Clonmany and he’s five miles from the nearest shop, church, and school. And as well as that, he looks after his parents. They suffer from ill health, and he takes them to doctors’ appointments and hospital appointments.”
Mr Mac Lochlainn said his client has no previous, no penalty points, and was “fully cooperative” with the guards on the night he was stopped.
He said Mr Doherty is “anxious to keep his licence” and had insurance, which covered another vehicle.
“He was test driving a new vehicle and he asked the insurance company to change it over to the other vehicle but they didn’t change it over for him,” the solicitor said. “He didn’t follow up to ensure the transfer of the policy onto the new vehicle. It turned out that he didn’t buy the vehicle in the end.
“He had been insured but cancelled the policy. He thought they had switched the insurance over to this new vehicle, but it turned out that it wasn’t.”
The solicitor handed in a copy of his client’s driving licence to the court.
Judge Patricia Cronin asked Mr Mac Lochlainn: “How much does he earn?”
The solicitor consulted briefly with Mr Doherty at the back of the courtroom and informed the judge that he earns €750 per week as a pipe-layer.
Judge Cronin said she wouldn’t impose a ban on this occasion, given the circumstances.
“Taking into account the [guilty] plea, the facts, the mitigation and the fact that he has no previous convictions, I will convict and fine €250, allowing three months to pay.”
“I find special circumstances on the basis of what was said and I will not disqualify. The licence has been handed in and there are penalty points but they’re not a matter for the court.”
On the charge of alleged drink driving, Mr Doherty was remanded on continuing bail until June 24 at Buncrana District Court.
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