DISTRICT COURT ROUND-UP

Driver fined €3,500 and banned

Kim Gardner (35) of 108 The Faythe, Wexford was fined a total of €3,500 and put off the road for two years as motoring offences were considered at the District Court in Belvedere Road.

The case followed after a member of the traffic corps found the defendant driving in Thomas Street on April 25 last year.

She was not wearing her safety belt and no evidence was ever produced to show that she had either a licence or insurance cover.

Ms Gardner did not attend court for the hearing.

Accident led to spinal injury

Sibylle Loy (62) of Kairoi, Forth Commons, Wexford pleaded guilty to the careless driving which led to an accident near her Murrintown home.

The crash occurred when she pulled out of a side road on May 10 last and it resulted in spinal injuries sustained by a passenger in the other vehicle.

The accused motorist was described at the District Court as a mature arts student, originally from Germany but resident in Ireland since 2008.

On the date in question, she was bringing her husband to work in the hospital.

The judge learned that the casualty suffered a fractured spine and had to be kept in a brace for four months.

A find of €400 was imposed.

Woman admits cultivating cannabis

Susan Pender (36) of 76 Ferndale Park, Wexford admitted cultivation of cannabis when she appeared at the District Court.

Judge John Cheatle learned that five plants were discovered growing outside the back door when gardaí carried out a search at her home.

The official estimate of their value was €4,000, while two pieces of cannabis resin found inside the house were worth a further €30.

Solicitor Caitriona Walsh told the court that her client, who lives with a partner and three children, had suffered for years from back pain.

This health difficulty prompted Ms Pender’s experiment with growing cannabis, suggested Ms Walsh.

Her pain had been eased recently by a change of medication, added the solicitor.

The benefit of the Probation Act was extended

Cocaine possession

A former heroin addict was before the District Court charged with cocaine possession after a garda raid on his home

Barry Nolan (41) of 19 Melrose Court in Wexford admitted having €100 worth of cocaine on November 24, 2016.

Judge Gerard Haughton was told that Nolan had two previous convictions for drugs possession – cannabis in both cases.

Solicitor Cormac Dunleavy revealed that his client was on a methadone programme as he had been dependent on heroin at one stage.

The defendant lives alone but sees his children at weekend, added Mr Dunleavy.

The matter was dealt with by way of a €100 fine.

€4,890 for man who bought car

Patrick Joseph Butler from 79 Raithin Cuillin, Hollyfort Road, Gorey was granted a decree for €4,890 against the man he claimed sold him a dud car. Respondent Ted Tierney trading as Solar Campers and Cars, Kerlogue Industrial Estate, Rosslare Road, Wexford did not attend Wexford District Court to dispute the claim.

Butler explained to Judge Gerard Haughton that he bought the car for €4,850 cash but it quickly let him down and it continued to break down though he left it back to Tierney a couple of times for repair.

The dissatisfied customer commissioned a report from an engineer who found that the engine needed a great deal of work and that the vehicle would not pass the NCT.

The judge took into account the cost of the engineer’s reports as the court granted the decree, with an order for the absent respondent also to pay €350 as well as legal costs.

Fined over litter at roadside

Thomas Creane, Barnahask, Curracloe did not show up to deal with a litter prosecution brought by Wexford County Council at the District Court.

Judge Gerard Haughton learned from a council warden how rubbish was found in a farmer’s gateway beside the R741 on September 28 last.

The warden pulled a letter from FBD Insurance addressed to the defendant from this unsightly mess and proceedings were initiated.

The court was told that Creane at one stage indicated his intention to appeal the matter after he received a fine in the post. However, he did not go through with this, so the judge recorded a conviction with a fine of €500 and an order to pay €200 costs.

Call costs driver €120

Susan Mary Corish of Lyng, Rosslare took a call from her daughter and ran into a summons to the District Court sitting at Belvedere Road.

The problem was that Ms Corish was driving, thereby committing an offence at Rathaspeck on the evening of September 25 last.

The Nissan Note driver told Judge Gerard Haughton she took the call in a moment of madness, caused by delight that her daughter had joined the army.

A fine of €120 was recorded.

No valid tax disc on car

Sarah Kavanagh (22) from Bungalow 2, Knottown, Ardcavan faced prosecution at the District Court for being on the road at Crescent Quay a year ago without a valid tax disc.

When asked why she failed to pay a postal fine, the accused motorist said she had a busy lifestyle and was always up the country.

A fine of €100 was handed down by Judge Gerard Haughton.

Drink-drive case is dismissed

Drink drive offence accused Stephen Whitney (33) of Springfield Farm Hill, Crossabeg, Wexford was found slumped over his steering wheel in the car park of a service station.

The lights of his grey Ford Mondeo were on; he was wearing his safety belt and the engine was running when Garda Barry Brennan arrived at the Killeen’s forecourt on the New Line Road on the night in question in May of 2016.

The accused accepted that he was intoxicated after spending the night first in Bugler Doyle’s and then the Gaelic Bar. Charged with being drunk in charge of a motor powered vehicle, Whitney was adamant that he had no intention of driving the vehicle.

The case was dismissed.

Fined for parking on footpath

Parking on a Wexford footpath cost 43-year-old Myles Sunderland from Kilcorral House in Castlebridge €300 by way of fine.

The accused was not at the District Court sitting in Wexford to hear evidence from Garda Carl Breheny.

The judge learned that a vehicle was found illegally parked at Summerhill on September 24 last.

A postal fine was issued to the registered owner who nominated Sunderland to take the rap.

Speeding fine for driver of minibus

A speeding white Ford Transit minibus was clocked at more than 80 km/h on the Newtown Road in Wexford, the District Court was informed.

The speed breached the 50 km/h limit being enforced on October 22, 2016 by Garda Kevin Larkin who took proceedings against 65 -year-old driver John Kinsella of 4 Clonard Avenue, Wexford.

With Kinsella not present in court, Judge Gerard Haughton set a fine of €300.

Tenant tells court arrears will be paid

A local authority tenant who was more than €8,600 behind with the rent assured Judge John Cheatle she was prepared to clear the arrears.

The householder consented to Wexford County Council being granted an order for re-possession of her home but a stay of six months was put on the order.

Wexford District Court was told that the woman recently handed over €1,400, her first payment since January of last year.

However, this still left her €8,665 behind with the rent which is set at a weekly €89.63.

In court, she reckoned that she would be able to clear the debt within two months.

The judge allowed her the longer period of six months.

Drivers fined for using mobiles

Handling her mobile phone whilst driving a Hyundai Santa Fe led to a conviction at the District Court for Shirley Jones (39) from The Common Mulrankin.

She did not attend court in Belvedere Road where garda evidence was given of the offence which was detected at Ballinaboola on September 27. A fine of €300 was imposed.

The same garda – Niall Brophy – prosecuted Margaret Mythen (44) of Ballycowan, Tagoat who was caught on her phone while travelling at Ferrycarrig on May 29 last year.

Ms Mythen was not in court as the €300 fine was handed down by Judge Gerard Haughton.

Worker did not receive breaks

Colette Byrne of Scar, Duncormick resorted to court action to enforce a Work Relations Commission adjudication in her favour against her employers.

Ms Byrne attended the District Court sitting Wexford but there was no sign of any representative from K&K (Keane and Kells), Day Today, Duncormick.

Ms Byrne recalled that she was awarded €500 after the WRC was told that she did not receive breaks while working 20-25 hours a week for the absent respondent.

She was granted an order requiring K&K to comply with the WRC’s decision and pay her the €500.

Rubbish was abandoned on roadside

Ian Doyle of 7 Harbour View, Maudlintown was not present at the District Court sitting in Wexford as he was convicted of a litter offence.

The judge heard from county council staff member Billy Byrne how he collected rubbish abandoned at a roadside in Killinick in August of 2016.

The mess included a letter from the social welfare authorities which led the council to prosecute Doyle.

He failed to pay a fine issued in the post, so the matter went to court where he was fined €200 and ordered to pay costs of €200.

80 km/h in a 60 zone

Andrew Reville (46), Duncormick incurred a €300 fine on conviction for a speeding offence committed at Coolballow in April of last year.

The District Court learned that Reville’s vehicle was travelling at 80 km/h where a 60 km/h limit was in force.

The judge was minded to add a 12 month driving ban to the fine, until details of the defendant’s licence were produced sparing Reville further punishment.