Virginia court briefs

No motor insurance The following were fined at Virginia District Court for having no motor insurance: Tadas Dauginntis, 20 Ardfrail Court, Oldcastle, €250; and Paddy Smith, Billis, Virginia, €500 and banned for one year, recognisances were fixed in the event of an appeal. Refused Garda direction Aiden McDonald, Curkish, Bailieboro, was ordered to donate €300 to the Cavan Drug Awareness Centre when he appeared at Virginia District Court charged with failing to comply with a Garda direction at Main Street, Bailieboro, on July 25. Inspector Martin Beggy said at 2.50am Sergeant Martin saw the defendant acting in an aggressive manner. He was told to leave the area, which he did, but returned and he was arrested. Hugh Thornton, solicitor defending, said his client was ashamed of his behaviour, which was totally out of character. Community service order Ronan Cahill, 5 Church View, Virginia, was ordered to complete 150 hours of community service in lieu of three months when he appeared at the local district court on a theft charge at the Ramor Lodge Hotel, Virginia, on March 23 last. New inspector welcomed A new Garda Inspector stationed at Bailieboro was welcomed at last Friday's Virginia District Court. Inspector Martin Beggy takes over from Insp. Ray McMahon who transferred to Sligo. Judge Sean MacBride welcomed Inspector Beggy to his new position and wished him well. The inspector was also welcomed by Rita Martin on behalf of the Cavan Bar Association, Monica Clerkin from the District Court Office and John McCoy, BL, on behalf of the Bar Council of Ireland. Inspector Beggy thanked all for their kind comments and said he looked forward to working with them. Tributes were also paid to Inspector Ray McMahon. Motorist clocked doing 173km A motorist who was clocked doing 170km on the main Dublin to Cavan road escaped a driving ban when he pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of careless driving at last Friday's sitting of Virginia District Court. Murray Convery, Minister Hag, Rudgate, Tockwith, York, was fined €1,000 for the offence that occurred at Billis, Ballyjamesduff, on July 30. Inspector Martin Beggy said Garda Sinead Hoey was operating a check point when she stopped the defendant who as travelling at 173km in a 100 zone. While she was talking to the defendant a member of the public came over to her and brought it to her attention that the defendant had overtaken a number of cars at New Inns cross on a central white line. Oncoming cars were forced to pull over to the left. The defendant gave an English address but was living in Ireland. Judge Sean MacBride said it was very excessive speed. "I don't think I can reduce it, its outrageous speed." He added that there have been a number of deaths on the road in recent weeks and anticipated that the public would expect him to be disqualified. Rita Martin, solicitor defending, said her client had no previous convictions. He fills ATMs and he has to drive around the country, she added. Judge MacBride added that the defendant could have killed someone driving at that speed. He would reluctantly reduce it to careless but would impose a €1,000 fine. He complimented the member of the public for bringing it to the attention of the garda. Judge MacBride also paid tribute to Garda Hoey for the alacrity in which she dealt with the case. Suspended Sentence Emmanuel Oyekunle, 43 Chapel avenue, Balbriggan. Fingal, County Dublin, was handed a six-month suspended sentence at Virginia District Court when he pleaded guilty to having no insurance on his vehicle at Drumgora, Virginia, on October 31, 2009. He was also disqualified from driving for five years and was fined €1,000. Garda Lee told the court the defendant was driving while disqualified. Nora Conlon, solicitor defending, said her client thought he was only disqualified for six months and not two years on the last occasion. Judge Sean MacBride said the defendant should not have been driving on the occasion as he was disqualified. He had not learned his lesson and he was going to impose a suspended sentence. Sent forward for trial John Cole, Maghera, Virginia, was sent forward from the local district court to the next sitting of Cavan Circuit Court on November 29 on a charge of assaulting Mark Byrne at the Royal Bar, Stradone Street, Ballyjamesduff, on October 3, 2009. Also, Gary Toal, 40 Clones Road, Newbliss, was sent forward to the same sitting of the circuit court charged with assaulting Andy Cullivan at Main Street, Kingscourt, on November 15. Public order A 17-year-old youth from Northern Ireland was ordered to donate €250 to the Cavan Drug Awareness Centre when he pleaded guilty at Virginia District Court to public order offences at Cabra Castle, Kingscourt, on August 18. Inspector Martin Beggy said Gardaí were called to Cabra Castle where the defendant had been ejected as he was drunk and abusive. Rita Martin, solicitor defending, said it was his father who called the Gardaí as he could not control his son. The father told the court that his son had been assaulted by an uncle at the wedding they were attending and he wanted revenge. He had far too much drink taken on the occasion. Drink driving The following were fined at Virginia District Court for driving with excess alcohol: Richard Fitzgerald, Lislin, Mullagh, 40mg/100ml breath, €200 and disqualified for one year; Paul Tully, Crosscarn, Mullagh, 61mg/100ml breath, €250 and disqualified for two years three months, and Modestas Mankus, 7 Bellamount View, Cootehill, 38mg/100ml breath, €250 and disqualified for one year, recognisances were fixed in the event of an appeal.