A 20-year-old man who pleaded guilty to careless driving and driving while using a mobile phone was handed a €200 fine in Ballyhaunis District Court this week.
Garda Nicola Dolan, told the court that she was on duty in Main Street, Ballyhaunis at 9.55pm on June 6 2008 and she saw Thomas Webb, Station Rise, Ballyhaunis, driving up the street while using a mobile phone. She told the court she stopped Webb who admitted the offence and she informed him a fixed penalty charge will be issued to him.
Garda Dolan then told the court that she was travelling to work on September 16 at 6.55pm and as she drove through Hazel Hill, Ballyhaunis, she saw Webb driving towards her and saw him suddenly pull into the side of the road and pull a handbrake turn. She told the court that she followed on to work and that she spoke to him two days later about the incident.
Webb told the court that he not received the fixed penalty notice for driving while using a mobile phone and that he had pulled over suddenly in the second incident, because his mobile phone had fallen underneath the pedals in the car and he stopped suddenly so it would not cause him to be unable to use the pedals.
Judge Devins convicted and fined Webb €200 for the careless driving incident and took the driving while using a mobile phone charge into consideration.
