Suspended sentences for no motor insurance
A 41 year old woman has been given three suspended sentences of two months to run concurrently for driving without car insurance and an assault in Aldi.
Marcella Rooney, with addresses at St Joseph’s Terrace and Stephen McDonagh Place, appeared before Sligo District Court last week for sentencing on 25 charges.
They included a charge of assault in Aldi, Cranmore Road on 6 th July 2015.
A year later, Rooney was charged with nineteen Road Traffic offences: driving without insurance, failing to produce an insurance certificate, driving without a driver’s licence, failure to produce a driver’s licence and failure to restrain a child over the age of three travelling in the car at Whitehill, Castlebaldwin on 10 th June 2016.
Rooney then faced five charges of having no driver’s licence, insurance or NCT Test Certificate at St Joseph’s Terrace on 23rd March 2016, five charges of having no licence or insurance again at Mail Coach Road on 27 th July 2016, and five similar charges a day later on 28th July 2016 at Cranmore Road.
Over a month later, Rooney was charged with driving without insurance for the fourth time at Markievicz Road on 31st August 2016.
She was also charged with the unlawful possession of drugs at Temple Street on 4 th May 2016.
Her defence solicitor Mr Gerard McGovern told Judge Kevin Kilrane that all the charges had been pleaded to before but had been put back to allow the court monitor Rooney’s behaviour.
“You were concerned she would drive. She hasn’t been before the court in a while,” said Mr McGovern.
Inspector Donal Sweeney confirmed there had be no further incidents.
Judge Kilrane was told a driving disqualification was already in place for Rooney.
“Yes, you have given her a warning that this would not be tolerated,” said Mr McGovern.
Judge Kilrane then asked about the assault victim Ms O’Boyle and how things were between her and the accused.
“I never see her, no,” Rooney told the judge.
“She did come to court at the time and gave her views to you. She wasn’t happy but there’s been no contact between them,” added Mr McGovern.
Inspector Sweeney said Rooney was disqualified from driving for five years in 2016. “How are you getting on without your licence?” asked Judge Kilrane.
“It’s hard but that’s it,” said Rooney. The judge fined her ¤50 for the assault, ¤50 for the cannabis possession and a two month suspended prison sentence for each of the four convictions for driving without insurance (concurrent) and disqualified her from driving for five years.