This article is from page 10 of the 2013-09-17 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 10 JPG
A BODY piercing artist has been fined € 1000 after pleading guilty to careless driving in Shannon earlier this year.
Douglas Ashton (26) was pursued by a garda car after driving in a figure S fashion on the N19 in April.
Mr Ashton, with an address at Ballycaseymore, Shannon, had previously been charged with driving in a manner that was dangerous to public on the N19 near Smithstown, Shan- non on April 12 (2013).
The case originally came before Ennis District Court in July when Judge Patrick Durcan refused a defence application to reduce the charge to one of careless driving.
The court heard Mr Ashton would plead guilty to a reduced charge.
At the time Garda Noel O’Rourke of Shannon Garda Station told the court that at five minutes past midnight he observed Mr Ashton drive in a figure S fashion at high speed across two lanes of the N19.
Garda O’Rourke said during his pursuit of the car down the 1.8km stretch of road, his garda patrol car reached a speed of 100km.
Judge Durcan refused to reduce the charge and indicated that another Judge would hear the case.
On Wednesday, defence solicitor John Casey urged Judge Durcan to reconsider his decision.
Mr Casey told the court that his client was in the process of selling the car at the time. He said Mr Ashton accelerated too quickly on the night.
Mr Casey said his client, a body piercer, needed his new car for work and family reasons. He urged the court not to disqualify his client from driving. After hearing a summary of the facts, Judge Durcan agreed to reduce the charge.
“There was no endangerment to any third party. The only danger was to the accused man himself.”
Judge Durcan imposed a fine of € 1000 for careless driving. He also fined Mr Ashton € 250 for not having a valid NCT. A 23- Y EA R – OLD man has been given 100 hours community service in lieu of two months in prison, for beaching the peace, and had a drug charge adjourned until March. Ben Farrelly, St Bridgits, Kildimo, Kilrush, Co. Clare was out with his partner in Kilrush on May 24, when he got involved in an incident with other unnamed people. Solicitor for the defence Patrick Moylan told the court that his client was verbally abused by others on the evening in question. “When the gardaí arrived they scampered and my client stayed with his girlfriend. It wasn’t that he was drinking and he was out looking for trouble, trouble came looking for him,” he said. Mr Moylan said,“Alcohol doesn’t mix well with him.” “When he drank he drank to excess, he nowfeels he can moderate his drink.” The court also heard that on November 10, 2012 when gardaí called to Mr Farrelly’s house they found cannabis plant “in a healthy state of growth” and evidence of cultivation in his room. Mr Moynihan said that cannabis was an issue for Mr Farrelly and that he was addicted. He suggested that he engage with a counsellor that comes to Kilrush on a regular basis. Judge Patrick Durcan adjoined the drug charges until March 18, 2014 and placed Mr Farrelly under the supervision of the probation officer. He sentenced himto 100 hours of community service in lieu of two months in prison on the Section 6 Public Order offence and took into consideration an intoxication charge under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act 1994. A MA N CH A R GED with robbing a shopworker at knifepoint in Ennis earlier this month is due back in court tomorrow. The 30-year-old woman was on her way to work when she was allegedly approached by a man allegedly carrying a nine-inch kitchen knife, Ennis District Court heard onWednesday. It is alleged that WilliamDonovan (20) grabbed the woman’s handbag before running away. Mr Donovan, with an address at Clancy Park, Ennis, appeared in Court onWednesday. He is charged robbing a handbag containing a purse, cash and a Samsung Galaxy mobile phone. He is also charged with the production of an article, a nine-inch blade, while committing robbery. The alleged offences are alleged to have occurred at Clon Road, Ennis on September 1. Garda Claire McDermott of Ennis Garda Station told the court that the woman was on her way to work when the alleged robbery occurred. Gardaí opposed solicitorTara Godfrey’s bail application on behalf of her client. Separately, Mr Donovan is also charged with the theft of clothes, keys, a mobile phone and cash fromDough beach, Lahinch on August 28. Judge Patrick Durcan refused bail. He remanded Mr Donovan in custody to appear again at Ennis District Court on September 18. A 71- Y EA R – OLD