A father who had his four-year-old child unrestrained in his car while he drove was disqualified from driving for one year at Ballina District Court this week.
On Sunday July 12 of this year at 11am Garda John Barrett observed John Lawrence, 54 Riverside Drive, Ballina, driving his jeep on Dillon Terrace with two children in the rear of the vehicle not wearing seatbelts. Garda Barrett stopped Lawrence. At this stage one of the children, a 10-year-old, had put a seat belt on, however the younger child was still unrestrained. A fixed charge penalty notice was issued but was not paid.
The 42-year-old married father of four, who has one previous road traffic conviction, was convicted and fined €300 by Judge Mary Devins and disqualified from driving for a year.
