A woman detected driving whilst still on a 10-year ban avoided a jail sentence this week (November 13 ), but was still fined a total of €650.
“She has run out of road, as has her husband [also serving a 10-year ban, but not before the court],” said Judge Seamus Hughes to the solicitor for Patricia McDonnell (36 ), of Clonbault Woods, Longford.
Garda Tom Regan told Athlone District Court how he had been on duty at Tang bridge at 3.15am on May 19 when an approaching car “turned away from the checkpoint, and sped down a side road”.
Garda Regan pursued this vehicle and when he stopped it O’Donnell had neither licence nor insurance, having been banned from driving for 10 years in April 2010. He also explained how she had 64 previous convictions.
“Judge, you’d be familiar with her circumstances. She has 13 children, and accepts she shouldn’t have done what she did,” said Ms Patricia Cronin.
McDonnell told the court the only reason she was “down here” was to rescue her sister who she claimed had a broken jaw and a black eye.
“She had no one else,” said McDonnell, although she offered neither medical evidence, nor an explanation why she didn’t call 999.
She also claimed the car was bought only three days before she was stopped “from a foreign man for €300”.
“Why would any household buy a car three days before you get stopped, and both of you disqualified for 10 years? It is quite clear to me you took a chance driving the highways and byways of Ireland without meeting Garda Regan,” said the judge.
The garda, still in the witness box, corrected McDonnell, and told the court she was the registered owner since the previous December, and that “other gardaí have seen it driving, but weren’t in a position to be able to stop it”.
Judge Hughes then sentenced O’Donnell to five months in prison, but suspended it for two years with regard to her domestic circumstances.
He also updated her 10-year-ban to run from this date, and fined her a total of €650.
When Ms Cronin tried to apply for legal aid the judge wouldn’t have it.
“They’re in receipt of over €1,000 a week in social welfare. They should be able to pay their solicitor if they can be buying cars, and the pair of them off the road for 10 years,” he said.
