A sick child and a WhatsApp message from his wife regarding the medication needed from the pharmacist landed a Tuam motorist with five more penalty points to add to the five he already had.
There was a flurry of activity in Tuam Court as Gardaí consulted the Pulse system on their phones to assist Judge James Faughnan in finding out whether Finbar Morgan Ward of 10 Tirboy, Tuam had penalty points on his driving licence.
Mr Ward, who represented himself and pleaded guilty to holding a phone while driving, told the Judge that he couldn’t remember if he had any penalty points.
Judge Faughnan asked him why he didn’t pay the fixed charge notice when it arrived in the post and take the three penalty points, as he was now facing five because it had come to court. The defendant replied that he wasn’t good at keeping up with paperwork and probably missed the letter with the fixed charge.
He was on his way into town when his wife sent him a WhatsApp message to collect some medication for a sick child. He was reading this communication when he was spotted by a Garda.
Judge Faughnan said he didn’t want to see him off the road if he gave him the mandatory five penalty points, so Gardaí present consulted the Pulse system and informed the court that the defendant had five on his record, and five more would make it ten.
On occasion, Judge Faughnan delays sentencing in such cases to allow some points to expire before more are imposed.
“Have you anything else in the pipeline?” the Judge asked, meaning road traffic prosecutions which might put him over the 12 points and off the road. Mr Ward told him he hadn’t, so the Judge imposed a fine of €80 and the five new points will be added.
