This article is from page 21 of the 2008-03-11 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 21 JPG
A MOTORIST who drove at a speed of 183kph on the dual carriageway between Ennis and Limerick has been convicted of careless driving.
Daniel McAuliffe (28), of Clontem- ple, Ballingarry, Limerick, was con- victed of the offence, relating to an incident at Carrigoran, Newmarket- on-Fergus, on November 16, 2007.
Garda Shane Kavanagh told Ennis District Court that he was operating a speed checkpoint at 11.20am.
He said that McAuliffe was driving a red Honda Accord at 183kph in a
100kph zone, on the dual carriage- way on the N18.
The garda activated the blue lights and siren and pursued the vehicle.
‘He was on the outside lane. The car broke heavily and drove into the left lane. There was a large volume of traffic on the road at the time,” he Sr HKOe
Some four kilometres down the road, the garda caught up with the Honda.
‘He pulled in immediately when he saw us. I showed him the speed on the speed gun.
‘He was shocked. He said he genu-
inely didn’t realise he was doing that speed. He said something about the speedometer not working properly,” said the garda.
The accused was initially charged with dangerous driving, but sought to have this reduced to careless driv- ing.
Judge Joseph Mangan asked, “Was the manoeuvre he executed while pulling in dangerous?” and the garda said it was.
Defending solicitor Siobhan Mc- Mahon asked the garda did any of the other cars veer or brake and he replied that they didn’t.
“I’d ask you to consider a plea to careless driving as it didn’t affect the other cars on the road,” said the so- licitor to the judge.
Judge Mangan said he was not ac- cepting a plea to the lesser charge, but he later did accept it.
Ms McMahon said her client, who had no previous convictions, said the incident “was a moment of mad- ehSiiae
‘“He’s not one of your typical boy racer young people who don’t pay any heed to the road traffic laws,” she said. Judge Joseph Mangan fined him €1,500.