Portlaoise Court: Local woman mortified for having to appear in court
Portloaise Courthouse
A DEFENDANT who was described by her solicitor as a “very hard-working woman” was convicted of driving without insurance when she appeared at Portlaoise District Court last week.
The court was told that while gardaí were on patrol at Station Road, Portlaoise on 14 October last they stopped a car that was driven by Lauren Gill, 5 Churchfield Court, Castletown.
There was no insurance on the car and Ms Gill said she would produce the documents at Portlaoise Garda Station, which she failed to do.
Defending solicitor Barry Fitzgerlad said that his 41-year-old client “is mortified for having to appear in court. She’s a very hard-working woman who works in a local restaurant. She thought that she had been covered under her son’s insurance policy but now knows that she should have had her own insurance”.
Noting that the defendant had no prior convictions, Judge Deirdre Gearty convicted Ms Gill of having no insurance, fined her €350 and, using her discretion, said she would not impose a driving disqualification.
