Court briefs

Texting on the hoof costs €2,000 At a recent sitting of Cavan District Court, Damian McCaffrey, 24, Clones Road, Newbliss, Monaghan, was fined €2,000 in his absence for holding a mobile phone while driving at Bellananagh, Ballinagh, on December 12 last year. Judge Conal Gibbons was surprised when told by the prosecution that the offence involved the defendant texting. 'He wasn"t using his voice? He was actually texting?' asked the judge. He asked the prosecuting garda if he had come across it before and was told: 'Sometimes, when the car is stationary in traffic... But this defendant was moving.' Judge Gibbons noted that the defendant didn"t 'see fit to come to court'. After putting the case back to second calling to see what the penalties were, he imposed the fine. Community service Liam Mangan, (36), with addresses at 11, Chapel View, Kilcock, Kildare and Keelogs, Mosstrim, Longford was ordered to do 80 hours community service in lieu of two months imprisonment by Judge Conal Gibbons at the same sitting of Cavan District Court. The judge was finalising an earlier order of Judge MacBride after reading a Probation Services report which deemed the defendant suitable for the order. The order was made on a charge of engaging in threatening, abusive or insulting behaviour or words at Main Street, Cavan on April 12 this year. Similarly, Charlie Ward (25), 126, Aughnaskerry Drive, Cavan was ordered to do 100 hours community service in lieu of two months in prison for engaging in threatening, abusive or insulting behaviour or words at Townparks, Cavan on February 9 this year. Judge Gibbons finalised the order, for which a Probation Service report found him suitable. No appearance Judge Conal Gibbons issued bench warrants for: Joseph Dolan, (18), 4, John Paul Avenue, Cavan who failed to appear on public order summonses; Terence McDonagh (20), 5B The Drumlins, Cavan, who failed to appear on a charge of theft; Alina Miclescu, 2, Sundale Close, Tallaght, Dublin 24, who failed to appear on a charge of trespassing; Alan Nethercott (34), 23 Tiraffy Road, Tiraffy, Newtownbutler, Fermanagh, who failed to appear on a public order summons; Kevin Walton (36), 2 The Maples, Gortnakesh, Cavan, who failed to appear on a theft charge; Colin Wilson, 30, Shangarry, Ballinagh, who failed to appear on a summons for driving while uninsured; and Justinas Spuras (21), 59 Blackwood Avenue, The Gallops, Cavan, who failed to appear on a public order summons.