Judge William Early has said he has no intention of sending a woman who suffers with mental health difficulties to prison for road traffic offences.
The separated mother of two has a long history of difficulty and a habit of not taking her medications, Mullingar District Court heard, and has spent time in mental health institutions.
Sgt Niall McKiernan told the court how he seized the woman’s vehicle outside Castlepollard on October 22 last year. She had been disqualified from driving at the time. Her tax was dated December 2007, her insurance October 2008, and her NCT certificate June 2008.
She has previous convictions for assault, criminal damage, theft, and drink driving.
Mr Louis Kiernan said his client is now taking her medication but added that she had a lot of difficulties in her life.
He asked that the case be put back to December for review, but Judge Early disagreed, saying he didn’t propose to adjourn it and had no intention of sending the woman to prison.
He fined her €300 and further disqualified her from driving.
