A Ballyhaunis man who drove without insurance to get his wife’s inhaler as she was suffering a severe asthma attack escaped a disqualification in Ballyhaunis District Court this week.
Garda Nicola Dolan told the court that at 11.55pm on July 7 2010 she stopped a car being driven by Michael McCarthy, 86 The Maples, Ballyhaunis, at Ashling Drive, Ballyhaunis, and demanded the production of his driving licence and insurance within 10 days, which he failed to do. Cathy McDarby, solicitor for McCarthy, told the court that on the night in question her client’s wife was having a severe asthma attack and he was driving her back to her mother’s house where she had forgotten her inhaler; the only reason his client was driving was that his wife was unable to. She also handed into the court a letter from the doctor of McCarthy’s wife confirming that she did suffer a major asthma attack that night and required the attention of the doctor later. Judge Mary Devins convicted and fined McCarthy €300 but did not disqualify him from driving.
