'Confused' elderly motorist drove wrong way on M7 motorway fined

A man drove the wrong way along the M7 outside Nenagh after he appeared to have become confused, Nenagh District Court was told and was fined by the Judge for a 'momentary lapse in his senior years'.

George Butler of Traverstown, Ballinaclough, Nenagh, had a charge of dangerous driving reduced to careless driving at Carrigatoher, Nenagh, by Judge Joanne Carroll.

Sgt. Regina McCarthy told the court that the man was stopped and it appeared he had become confused when entering onto a junction on the M7 motorway near Nenagh after he was intercepted by Gardaí.

Mr Butler’s solicitor, David Peters, said that his client was 77 years old and had been driving for 60 years without incident.

“He took the wrong lane,” said Mr Peters in relation to how Mr Butler ended up on the wrong carriageway. “Thankfully, there was no accident.”

Mr Peters said that Mr Butler understood he won’t be able to drive again on doctor’s orders.

Judge Carroll fined Mr Butler €100 for what she described as a “momentary lapse in his senior years”.