A mother of three was convicted of crashing into a parked car in a hotel car park and doing damage to the tune of €3,000 before fleeing the scene when her case came before Judge James Faughnan at Tuam District Court.
Louise Ward, 127 Cois na hAbhainn, Tuam, was fined for leaving the scene of an accident but succeeded in keeping her licence as she needed it to support her children.
Garda Sgt Christy Brown told the court that at 12.20am on January 12 last Gardaí received a report of damage to a car belonging to a staff member at the Art Rí Hotel. CCTV footage showed Ward colliding with the vehicle parked in the hotel car park.
Gardaí contacted Ward and she admitted causing the damage, which came to €3,000.
The defendant had three previous convictions, one in 2024 for theft for which she was sentenced to 100 hours community service and another for a public order offence where she received the benefit of the Probation Act.
Eric Gleeson solr (defending ) pleaded that his client had panicked after the collision. She was 35 and raising three children on her own and needed to keep her licence to get her children to school and other activities.
He added that she was “holding her hand up” to the offence but Judge Faughnan pointed out that she had little choice to do otherwise after the Gardaí contacted her regarding the CCTV footage which identified her.
He also speculated what might have happened if the Gardaí had caught up with her within three hours of the collision, the cut off period for a drink driving prosecution.
Fines totalling €650 were imposed but no driving disqualification in light of the defence plea.
