Speeding offences

A number of defendants appeared before Arklow District Court on Wednesday charged with speeding offences.

A bench warrant was issued for the arrest of Anthony Nugent of 96 Mountain View, Ballyguile, Wicklow town, after he was charged with speeding at Magheramore on September 17, 2015. He made no appearance in court and the fixed penalty notice was not paid.

The case of Patricia Kenny of Ballinatone, Greenan, Rathdrum, was adjourned after she told the court that she was speeding on the day while on the way to a loved one who was ill. She was recorded travelling at 95km/h in an 80 km/h zone at Roddenagh, Aughrim on April 2, 2017. Judge David Kennedy asked her to return to court on January 17 with proof of the illness, after which he would look at the case again.

A fine of €120 was imposed on Noelle Jordan of 29 Valley Heights, Carnew, who was charged with speeding at Carnew, Arklow on April 16, 2017. The speed recorded was 60km/h in a 50km/h zone.

Suzanne O’Hanlon Delaney from 8 Avonbeg Heights, Rathdrum, was summonsed to appear in court but told Judge David Kennedy that she was not driving at the time of the offence. The charge related to April 21, 2017 at Roddenagh, Aughrim where a speed of 93km/h in an 80km/h zone.

Ms O’Hanlon Delaney’s husband Edward was present in court with her and confirmed that he was driving. The charge was amended and the matter was adjourned to January 17, 2018 for evidence of any possible previous convictions.

The case of Christopher Doyle was struck out after Judge Kennedy conceded that ‘he made an effort to pay’. Mr Doyle, of Coolboy, Tinahely, was charged with speeding at 99km/h in an 80km/h zone at Roddenagh, Aughrim, on April 21, 2017. He told the court that he got the notice and sent back a cheque but it was outside the time allowed for payment in the lowest amount.

He said that he believes the subsequent letter to notify him of the increased fine was somehow delivered to his son, who has the same name and therefore the initial cheque was returned as it did not cover the amount of the new fine.

A fine of €160 was imposed on Benjamin Stafford of Hillbrook, Gorey, for speeding at Tinakilly Upper, Aughrim, on June 9, 2017. The matter was adjourned for production of driving licence on December 20. collected her children from school and one of them opened their seat belt while she was driving.

The defendant was also charged with no insurance (user), no licence and failure to produce documents at Woolgreen, Carnew on November 10, 2016 and with no insurance at Tomacork, Carnew on February 14, 2017.

Solicitor Tom Honan told the court that his client was ‘well known to the court’ and said that she is responsible for a number of children and is doing her best in poor and difficult circumstances without any support.

He said that she faces financial and social problems and that ‘if ever there is a time for the penny to drop, it is now’.

Judge Kennedy said that he had no choice but to impose a custodial sentence given the defendant’s repeat offending.

He said that, as she continued driving without any insurance, she was putting other people at risk.

A three-month sentence and seven-year driving ban were imposed and Mr Honan gave notice of appeal shortly afterwards. tificate and non display of disc on November 25, 2016, and on January 15, 2017, at Kish, Arklow.

Ms O’Brien told the court that she accepted responsibility and that she was driving a garage car on both occasions and did not check she was insured.

She told the court that she should have checked but Judge Kennedy said that it was not her fault and that, in the circumstances, he would not imposed any driving ban.

However, fines totalling €600 were handed down.