“Are you a boy-racer or a car enthusiast?” a judge asked a young man brought before him on a charge of having an illegal exhaust on his car. The defendant assured him he was an enthusiast.
Judge James Faughnan made his inquiry when the motorist came before the October 1 sitting of Ballinasloe District Court, charged with the offence.
He was told Gardaí detected a double-barrelled exhaust on his car. “What kind of car was it?” asked the judge, and the defendant said it was a BMW 318. However, he assured the court he had got rid of that vehicle and now drove a Golf.
The defendant told the judge that he worked as a fitter and had no penalty points on his licence.
“I’ll give you a chance. Have you €200 on you?” the judge asked. The defendant said he hadn’t but could get it, and was told to do so and return with it before the court business of the day concluded, which he did.
The donation is to go to the Little Blue Heroes charity, and the charge was struck out.
