Driver and another man abandoned car on roadside

A YOUNG Fermanagh man who panicked and abandoned his car, after driving at speed onto a busy main road in a bid to avoid gardaí, was fined €700 in total but avoided a disqualification when the incident was recounted at a recent sitting of Monaghan District Court.

Joseph Lappin (20) from Finn Park, Roslea, Co Fermanagh, pleaded guilty to a charge of failing to give his name and address at Drummond Otra, Carrickmacross, on January 1, 2025, but sought to have a dangerous driving charge resulting from the same episode reduced to one of careless driving, Sergeant Lisa McEntee told how, at about 8pm on the date in question, the driver of a Seat Leon car that was acting suspiciously suddenly sped away after Garda Samantha Brown asked for his licence.

The patrol car activated its blue lights and followed the Seat onto the Monaghan-Dublin N2, where its driver had turned in the Ardee direction but abandoned it close to the slip road junction.

Two men were seen getting out of the car and running into a field and, when Garda Brown and Garda Bernadette Gaynor searched the vehicle, they noticed a strong smell of cannabis, though no substance was found.It was established that the Seat Leon was registered and insured to Joseph Lappin who later contacted gardaí himself and admitted being the driver, giving the explanation that he had “panicked”.Solicitor Barry Healy pointed out that his client went to the Carrickmacross Garda Station the following day. He had been keeping bad company, panicked and “did a very foolish thing”.

He was an apprentice welder who was looking for work, which would prove very difficult without a driving licence.Sgt McEntee confirmed that Mr Lappin made admissions and had apologised to the gardaí.

Judge Raymond Finnegan said he was agreeing on that basis to reduce the dangerous driving count to careless driving, which does not carry a mandatory disqualification. A €350 fine was imposed, along with a second fine for the same amount for failing to give details to Garda Brown when they were demanded.