Portlaoise District Court: Why are uninsured drivers always going for nappies?
Image for illustration purposes
HOW is it that every time people come to court for driving without insurance that they’ve been either going for nappies, Calpol or for baby formula, even though some of those don’t have children?
That was the question posed by Judge Andrew Cody when a 39-year-old man appeared at Portlaoise District Court for driving while uninsured and without a driving licence.
Before the court was Roger Kathshiaya, Room 5, Montague Hotel, Emo, who pleaded guilty to the offences, which took place at Emo on 4 January.
The court was told that the defendant had six previous convictions. The last of these was on 7 March last year for driving without insurance, when he received a two-year disqualification from driving.
Defending solicitor Barry Fitzgerald said that his Congolese client has been in Ireland for the past six years and works with a dog food company in Naas.
Mr Fitzgerald and that his client’s wife “had had surgery and they had a newborn baby. He was driving to get some baby formula at the time at the nearby filling station”.
Judge Cody asked: ‘How is it that every time people come to court for driving without insurance that they’ve been either going for nappies, Calpol or for baby formula, even though some of those don’t have children?” He went on to convict Mr Kathshiaya of driving while uninsured, imposed a two-month custodial sentence, which he suspended for two years, banned him from driving for four years and fined him €750. For driving without a driving licence, the defendant was fined €250 and disqualified from driving for four years.
