Disqualified motorist’s pleas fall on deaf ears

A MAN’S pleas that he fully believed he was insured at the time he was stopped by gardaí fell on deaf ears at the District Court last week as he received a fine and a driving ban. Peter Bishop of Ballina, Ballymurn, was charged with driving without tax, an NCT or insurance at The Ballagh on November 11, 2016.

The court heard that, at the time the defendant was stopped, the tax was out by over two years and the NCT by nearly five months.

The court heard that Bishop was insured on a commercial vehicle and was a named driver on his mother’s car and the vehicle he was stopped in, a Volkswagen Passat, had been purchased for his wife.

Being questioned by his solicitor David Tarrant, Bishop told the court that he had rang the insurance company on the Monday and was fully convinced that he was insured to drive on the day in question. He said it was only afterwards when he rang up that he was informed that there had been some kind of mix- up and that no cover was in place.

A transcript of the defendant’s conversation with the insurance company was handed to the Judge and gardaí asked if a previous conviction for no insurance from the UK was disclosed.

The Judge took some time to read over the document and when he returned to the case he said: ‘ There’s a crucial issue on page 9. When asked if he had any convictions, he replied “not yet”. When asked if he had ever been disqualified he said “no” and when asked if he had penalty points, he said “no”. That was untrue. He hasn’t been truthful and I’m not prepared to exercise my discretion not to ban him.’

On the no insurance charge, Bishop was fined € 500 and handed a two year driving ban.