A newborn in Athlone will be smiled upon a little more this week after its arrival prompted a judge to let mum off her traffic summons (September 23 ).
Solicitor Paul Connellan was defending Patricia Doyle of Millbank, Clonown Road, Athlone, who was due in court to face a summons for non-payment of a fine, issued for parking on a double yellow line Ain Custume Place on February 10..
Mr Connellan explained to Judge John Neilan the reason his client wasn’t in court was that she had been taken into a maternity hospital the day before.
“Is she a lady-in-waiting?” enquired the judge.
“I think things might have happened by now,” smiled Mr Connellan.
“Well, as a goodwill gesture to the new arrival, I will dismiss this without prejudice,” said the judge.
