Man’s car was registered in fictitious name

JUDGE Kevin Kilrane has ordered Gardaí to investigate further a man’s claims that his neighbours maliciously registered his car in a false name as a “prank”.

Ian McMorrow (33) with an address given of Rathbraughan Park, is charged with four road traffic offences, including driving without insurance or driver’s licence, on the Old Bundoran Road last April 25 th.

His defence solicitor, Mr Eddie Henry, told Judge Kevin Kilrane that the accused had insurance on another car which would have covered him to drive the car in question on April 25 th.

However Garda Dillon testified that it appeared from their records that the car McMorrow had insurance on, was registered to a ‘James Arthur’ in Dublin.

McMorrow took the witness stand and said the person he bought the car off sent the registration documents to No. 5 Colleary Drive, instead of No.7 Colleary Drive, where he had been staying at the time.

McMorrow maintained that “someone in No.5 Colleary Drive” sent the documents to the relevant authorities re-registering falsely in the name of ‘James Arthur’.

He told Judge Kilrane tax discs were now sitting in the Motor Tax head office in Shannon and he had tried unsuccessfully to get them back: “They’re saying I’m not the owner and won’t give them back to me,” he said.

Sgt Derek Butler told the court that the ‘James Arthur’ became the registered driver of the car on 13th January 2018.

The defendant said he went to the alleged address of ‘James Arthur’ in Crumlin “but he wasn’t there.”

Mr Henry said it was done “as a prank” and there was “some animosity with the people in Colleary Drive” and his client.

“The question is, if he is fictitious, who created him? Could it be your client?” Judge Kilrane asked Mr Henry.

Mr Henry said he didn’t see how doing that could benefit his client.

Judge Kilrane said that if the vehicle was detected for any alleged offences, the notice would go to the registered owner: “It could benefit your client if he is not that registered owner,” he said. He then asked the defendant about his neighbours. McMorrow said they had lived at No.5 for about “15-20 years” but he rarely spoke to them.

“They are parties known to the court, not the friendliest,” said Mr Henry.

Judge Kilrane said he believed it was “arranged from Day 1” that the vehicle documents were sent to the address of the occupiers that “don’t speak to him.”

McMorrow insisted he hadn’t benefited from the situation but Judge Kilrane repeated he thought he was.

Judge Kilrane said the case warranted further investigation and adjourned the case to 24 th January to allow further investigation by Gardaí.