One-year driving ban confirmed

A COLLOONEY man who failed to turn up in the district court on six occasions to answer a summons for speeding had his one-year ban from driving for speeding confirmed on appeal to Sligo Circuit Court. Sixty-three-year-old Colm Kearins, Knockbeg, Collooney, was banned for a year after he was convicted for speeding at

Ballydrehid, Ballisodsare, on January 21, 2018.

He was not in court for that verdict last November and appealed the decision to the circuit court.

The court heard he had 12 previous convictions, several of them for speeding.

Noting that the offence happened in January 2018, Judge

Francis Comerford wondered why it took so long to be dealt with.

State solicitor Elisa McHugh said that on six occasions when it was listed, the defendant had not appeared in court.

The defendant’s solicitor Mr Flynn suggested to the defendant that he was a “serial fast driver”.

The defendant took the witness box and said he was a “small bit over the speed limit”. When it was suggested to him that he had a problem in turning up in court the defendant said he had been in hospital, had an operation on his bowel and forgot about the court appearance and was off work at the time.

When asked why he did not turn up in Sligo District Court on six different times, he said: “I don’t really know.” He apologised for his conduct, saying he meant to come to court but was coming out of hospital and did not remember and apologised to the court again.

The defendant said he was at a financial loss as he bought cattle for a meat plant and now had to get someone to drive him. On reading a medical report submitted on behalf of the defendant, Judge Francis Comerford said it was very informative.

The judge affirmed the district court order of a one-year driving ban and backdated the ban to November last year.