Man fined for withholding information

A man who withheld information from gardai was sentenced to two months initially. However, Judge David Kennedy brought the defendant back before Bray District Court later in the day to say he had exceeded his jurisdiction and could only issue a fine. He handed down a fine of €350.

Dylan McDonald (22), 10A Sycamore Drive, Fassaroe, was questioned at Bray Garda Station on January 3. 2018, in relation to a hit and run which had occurred on October 14, 2017.

He told gardaí that he couldn’t remember who had been driving his car.

Solicitor John O’Donovan said that the defendant wished to apologise to gardaí for wasting their time.

He was waiting to secure a place in Tiglin, the court heard, having had a drug problem since the age of 14.

The court heard that he had 30 previous convictions, including burglary, damaging property and theft. A man who drove without insurance ‘ knew he wasn’t exactly doing right’ Judge David Kennedy said at Bray District Court last Thursday.

Vadim Burca (19), Limaru, Upper Dargle Road, Bray, is from Moldova, where, the court heard, there is a more cavalier attitude to driving.

Gardaí were operating a checkpoint on Dargle Road on April 18 at 11 p.m. when they saw him pull into a laneway to avoid them.

They discovered he didn’t have a valid licence or insurance. He has lived in Ireland for 18 months and learned English through school. He will be doing his leaving next year and wants to study business in DCU.

His mother was with him in court. Judge Kennedy noted that avoiding the checkpoint indicated he knew he shouldn’t have been driving.

He adjourned the case to February 11 for a probation report.