20 month suspended for serial offender

A 46-year-old woman before the court on a raft of road traffic offences was handed a 20-month suspended sentence and disqualified from driving by ten years by Judge Kevin Kilrane. The judge warned Fiona Gallagher of Carrowhubbock, Enniscrone, that if she is convicted in the next three years of any road traffic offence she will be going to prison. “Please do not be tempted to get behind the wheel of a car, if there is any indication you will be disqualified for the rest of your life.” He asked the defendant if she had any questions to which she replied no. Judge Kilrane described it a shocking case of persistent driving without insurance. On one occasion he said it appeared the defendant threw the summonses on the road and someone ended up picking them up and bringing them to Ballina Garda Station.

He described Gallagher’s Probation Report as both helpful and worrying, saying she was aggrieved in some parts and desperately sorry for her behaviour in other parts.

Her offences ranged from no insurance, no tax, no drivers licence and driving while disqualified. A charge of dangerous driving was struck out. A theft charge of a Nissan Qashqai was struck out.

The judge said that he was rather reluctantly, given her record and the manner she approached the case, giving her a suspended sentence. He said Gallagher blamed everyone bar herself, from solicitors, barristers, gardaí to the court.

He said she had attached blame to a firm of solicitors who had tried to help her to the extent she had run out of solicitors.

Mr Keith O’Grady, BL, defending, instructed by McGovern & Walsh solicitors, said they were very much obliged and thanked the court as the case was going on a very long time.