‘Sight-seeing’ at 150kph

A man who overtook a tractor at 150kph on the N59 Sligo to Ballina main road said he was bringing visitors “sight-seeing”.

Judge Kevin Kilrane told defendant Anthony Dallow that “the sight-seers would want to be very fast on the look out if you were driving at that speed.”

He appeared before Sligo District Court to plead guilty to Dangerous Driving at Larkhill, Beltra and Masreagh, Skreen on 18th January 2014.

A bench warrant had been previously been issued for his arrest in June 2014 after he failed to appear in court.

His defence solicitor Mr Seamus Monaghan told the court Dallow (32) of Ballyglass, Ballycastle, Mayo, had been out of the country for the last 2-3 years and had only recently returned to Ireland.

Inspector Paul Kilcoyne outlined the facts of the case and said an off-duty Garda was travelling along the N59 when he saw the car in front of him overtake a tractor at 150kph in a 100kph speed zone at Larkhill, Beltra.

He said Dallow overtook along a double continuous white line through a series of bends.

The Garda radioed ahead to Sligo Garda station and Dallow was stopped on the dual carriageway.

Mr Monaghan said that Dallow was sight-seeing that day with two other people in the car and said that he had never been charged with a speeding offence in 12 years of driving.

He said his client “fully accepted” the offence and had moved here with his wife who was present in court, along with his mother-in-law.

He added that Dallow was currently unemployed but had a job interview the very next day and would need his Driver’s Licence.

He handed in six personal references which he said were “quite glowing”.

Judge Kilrane said he had no choice but to disqualify Dallow from driving on a Dangerous Driving plea.

Mr Monaghan asked if there was any way the charge could be reduced to avoid a disqualification.

Inspector Kilcoyne said the “totality of the case was quite serious.”

“There’s no explanation. I know I shouldn’t have done it. I just wanted to get home, it was irresponsible, I’m sorry for it,” Dallow said to the judge.

“If he wants it reduced it’ll cost him,” said Judge Kilrane.

Mr Monaghan pointed out that Dallow was currently unemployed.

“No he’s not going to have it both ways,” replied the judge and ordered Dallow to pay ¤1,500 by 5th of October and he would then reduce the charge to one of Careless Driving.

Danny McCarthy, of Doorly Park, was detected driving at 73kph in a 50kph zone at Ballincar last September 19th.

McCarthy, who drives for global fresh produce firm Total Produce, left the speeding fine paperwork with an administrative assistant the court heard last week.

However the paperwork was submitted a day late and so McCarthy was summoned to court.

His solicitor, Mr Joe Keyes, said his client was “aggrieved he has extra penalty points because Total Produce paid it late.”

“Unfortunately the lady didn’t carry out her remit in time,” he said.

However Judge Kilrane said the defendant couldn’t “outsource” his responsibility for paying the fine, which ultimately came down to him.

“The obligation was on the defendant,” agreed Inspector Paul Kilcoyne.

Sales Manager at the Sligo Depot Mr Niall Gray testified that it wasn’t normal company policy to pay drivers’ speeding fines but they took it upon themselves to make an exception for the defendant because he had been with them for so long “with an unblemished record.”

“We submitted it a day late,” he said. Judge Kilrane said it was a “very unsatisfactory” case and the van McCarthy had been driving was a “significant vehicle to be driving at 73kph in a 50kph zone.”

He adjourned the case to this Thursday 20th July and said he would be looking for “meaningful reasons” why he shouldn’t convict McCarthy.