A Ballyhaunis man was disqualified from driving for a year and ordered to pay fines totalling €275 in Ballyhaunis District Court this week.
Garda John Flanagan told the court that he stopped Paul MacEwan with an address at Killunagher, Ballyhaunis, Co Mayo, driving a car on April 11 2011 at 11.55am at Devlis, Ballyhaunis, Co Mayo. He demanded the production of his driving licence and insurance which MacEwan failed to do. Garda Flanagan also noticed that he had no seatbelt on. MacEwan told the court the car belonged to his partner who had insurance for herself on the car but not for him. He said that from time to time his wife suffered from vertigo and he would have to take over the driving of the car to do things like bring her to the doctor, get shopping, or drop the children to school. He also told the court that he was not in possession of his driver’s licence because he had a UK licence and the authorities there would not issue a new one to him because he is living in Ireland. Judge Conal Gibbons told the court that MacEwan and his partner should have made proper appropriate arrangements as his partner’s condition was known to both of them and did not fall into an emergency category where someone had to drive a car in an emergency.
Judge Gibbons convicted and fined MacEwan €150 for having no insurance and disqualified him from driving for one year, for not wearing a seat belt he convicted and fined him €75, and for having no driving licence he was also convicted and fined €50.
