Laois learner driver caught speeding on motorway
Image for illustration purposes only
A LEARNER permit holder who was caught driving at a speed of 167km on the motorway was ordered to take part in a pro-social driving programme when she came before Portlaoise District Court.
Before the court was Jessica Collins (25), 14 Waterfront Apartments, French Church Street, Portarlington.
She pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and to driving on a learner permit on the motorway at Cappakeel, Portlaoise on 19 March.
At the outset of the case, prosecuting Garda O’Hanlon said he was consenting to the charge of dangerous driving being reduced to that of careless driving.
He told the court that while on mobile patrol at 1.35pm that day, he stopped a car being driven by the defendant after it was detected driving at a speed of 167km. On speaking with her, he was informed that she was driving on a learner permit.
The court heard that Ms Collins has no previous convictions.
Her solicitor Josephine Fitzpatrick said that since the incident, Ms Collins had applied to sit her driving test but hadn’t done so yet because “there is a ferocious backlog.” She said that at the time she was stopped driving, Ms Collins’ then partner had been in the car with her but had been disqualified from driving at the time.
Judge Andrew Cody remanded Ms Colins on continuing bail to the 10 September sitting of the court and instructed that she take part in a pro-social driving programme and to provide evidence that she had applied for a driving test.
* Driving on a motorway is an offence for learner permit holders, regardless of whether a fully licenced driver is accompanying them. An accompanying driver must hold a current, valid, full driving licence for the vehicle category they are supervising in and must have held that licence for a continuous period of at least two years.
