Driver was concerned for his safety
A driver summoned for driving through a red light told Sligo District Court he had received safety advice from Gardaí before that he was to go if he ever felt threatened.
Hughie Irwin (40) 5 St Joseph’s Terrace, Sligo insisted however that he didn’t break a red light at Pearse Road despite seeing a number of hooded youths nearby in an alleyway. He told the court he had been the victim of a shooting beofre and held up a document which he said had come from the Gardai which advised him about his personal safety.
“I was told if I did not feel safe that I was to go but no lights were broke,” said the defendant. He outlined how the booklet advised on how he was to travel. “Someone could be planning a shooting,” he said, adding: “I believe a gun was caught in Ballymote last week. I’m always concerned when I leave my house.” He said he had just pulled out from the nearby filling station, Applegreen having got petrol for a generator and saw a Garda car parked behind another car at Christie’s supermarket and said he knew that he would be stopped soon after.
Garda Fahy earlier told the court he was travelling up Pearse Road at 11.40pm on February 27 th 2017 when he saw a Peugeot 206 drive through a red light on the opposite side. He stopped the car and spoke to the driver who was adamant the light had been amber. A ticket was issued but it wasn’t paid. Irwin told the court he never broke a red light before and had a clean driving licence. Recalled by Judge Kevin Kilrane, Garda Fahy reiterated that he had been stopped at a red light at Pearse Road and not at Christie’s. Judge Kilrane said he was aware of junction and the lights sequence as he travelled the road regularly. He wasn’t sure what case the defendant was making and if the advice he had received from the Garda had any relevance to the case. He took it that the Garda’s advice to him was to keep moving if he felt he was in any danger but that didn’t authorise him to break a red light. Also, there was a Garda car present if he felt unsafe. Amongst eleven previous convictions was one for speeding and another for breaking a red light. Irwin was fined €200.