‘Ignorance of the law’ leads to motor insurance conviction

MARK Brennan of 7 John Paul Park, Murrintown appeared before the District Court doubly charged with motor insurance offences.

Judge John Cheatle heard how Brennan’s licence did not cover him to pull a trailer with two horses at Garrycleary in Crossabeg in March of last year, thus possibly voiding his insurance.

Then four months later he stood disqualified because he had accumulated penalty points when he was stopped while driving at Knocknahone in Barntown.

Solicitor Tim Cummings accepted that ignorance of the law was no excuse for what his client did but the judge accepted that the first offence was an ‘oversight’.

Brennan cured the problem by taking out the relevant licence to allow him pull large trailers shortly after the offence occurred.

However, there was no escaping a conviction on the Knocknahone summons, which drew a fine of €350.