Ballyconnell court briefs

Motorist advised to slow down A motorist who appeared before Ballyconnell District Court on a number of motoring offences was advised by the presiding judge to take his foot off the accelerator and obey the rules of the road. Robert Pop (Jun.), 1 Ballyhugh, Ballyconnell, was fined €500 for careless driving at Derryginny, Ballyconnell, on July 23. He was also fined €500 for having no insurance on his vehicle on the same occasion, Inspector Alan Cunningham said at 4.10pm gardaí were on patrol in Belturbet when they came to a junction on the Ballinamore Road. They observed a car coming in the opposite direction and as it reached the junction it skidded out onto the road. Denis McDwyer, solicitor defending, said his client's insurance was being paid by standing order but it was not paid by his bank. The defendant was not aware of that. He was a single man and was trying to get his house in order. Judge Sean MacBride said the defendant was a bit trigger happy in his driving and he was convicting in both charges. The defendant would be advised to take his foot off the accelerator and obey the rules of the road, otherwise he would kill himself or other road users, added the judge. Careless driving Angela Mullaney, 42 Garryduff Drive, Castlebar, Mayo, who appeared before Ballyconnell District Court on a dangerous driving offence had the charge reduced to careless and was fined €500. She was charged with the offence that occurred at Port, Blacklion, on March 1, 2009. Inspector Alan Cunningham said there was a collision between two cars. Following investigations by the gardaí, they discovered that a car driven by the defendant came around a corner and she lost control. It collided with an oncoming car. "She may have been driving a little too fast on the occasion." Hilary Fitzpatrick, solicitor defending, said his client had lost her husband in a house fire and she was now living at home with her parents. Excess Alcohol Michael Brady, Comagh, Garadice, Ballinamore, was fined €150 and banned from driving for two years and three months at Ballyconnell District Court for driving with excess alcohol, 49mg/100ml breath at Doon, Ballyconnell, on December 2.