Thought she was covered by her ex- partner’s policy

A driver summoned for driving without insurance told Sligo District Court that she thought her partner had renewed the policy but it transpired he hadn’t.

Michelle Byrne ( 42) of Crozon Park didn’t have insurance when stopped at Caltragh on July 4th 2014. She had no previous convictions. Mr Mark Mullaney, solicitor ( defending) pleaded that the defendant was a named driver on her partner’s policy. It hadn’t been renewed by him and she wasn’t aware of this.

The defendant told the court she was working in Longford which was a daily commute of 100 kilometres.

Previously, she paid for the policy which was in her partner’s name and she was a named driver having decided to have just the one car instead of two. She was no longer living with him and wasn’t aware the policy wasn’t renewed. Within 24 hours of being stopped she had renewed the policy. The car had been seized at the time by Gardaí.

Judge Kevin Kilrane said it would be excessive in the circumstances to record a conviction. He struck out the case.