‘I’m one of country’s most lenient on insurance bans’

DISTRICT Court Judge Kevin Kilrane says he is one of the most lenient judges in the country when it comes to imposing bans for driving without insurance.

He told last Thursday’s sitting of Sligo District Court that this was at variance of higher a court ruling.

“I’m one of the most lenient judges in the country in respect of not disqualifying drivers for not having insurance.

“And, that is in the teeth of a recent Court of Appeal decision,” he said.

He made the remarks after banning Thomas Greenwood (30) of Main Street, Gurteen for one year after he admitted driving without insurance at Rathmadder on December 17 th 2016.

The defendant was fined €100 and banned for a year.

Mr Gerard McGovern, solicitor (defending) pleaded that the defendant had bought a car before getting insurance.

The quote he received was €3,000 and he just couldn’t afford it, said Mr McGovern.

He added that the defendant had applied for a job and was hopeful of securing the employment.

He didn’t have insurance at the moment. Judge Kilrane said he was going to disqualify. It was a year since the defendant was stopped and he had done nothing about taking out insurance.

At the same court, Tyler Flatley, Strand Lodge, Doonmadden, Templeboy was convicted and fined for driving without insurance on two occasions.

He was fined €200 and banned from driving for one year for not having insurance at Connaughton Road on April 7 th this year and €300 for a second offence at Rathbraughan Park on April 12 th and banned for two years. For not having an NCT on February 2nd at O’Connell Street, Ballymote he was fined €100.

A summons for the possession of cannabis at Ballymote Garda Station on February 2nd was taken into consideration.

Inspector Paul Kilcoyne said the defendant did not have any previous convictions.

Mr Tom MacSharry, solicitor (defending) pleaded that the defendant lost his job and foolishly drove without insurance.

He undertook that this would not happen again.

Mr MacSharry said the defendant did not smoke cannabis anymore and that the amount he was found in possession of was small and was for his own use.

The defendant said he had a driving licence but it was in the car which was seized by Gardaí and it was never returned to him along with a phone.

“I called back a couple of times so that I could produce my licence but i never got it back,” he told the court.

He explained that he couldn’t keep up the repayments on his insurance policy.

“It was costing me €440 a month and I was borrowing just to keep it together,” he said. He added that he only drove in order to visit his girlfriend when she was pregnant.

Judge Kilrane warned the defendant: “Do not be tempted to get behind the wheel of a car.”