UPDATE: Judge lifts Offaly man's driving ban after hearing he will take advanced lessons
Fine also reduced from €750 to €50 on motorist in Land Rover with tinted windows who overtook garda at temporary red traffic light close to home in Tullamore
A DRIVING ban has been removed and a fine substantially reduced after a judge was told a man will take three advanced driving lessons.
Michael McDermott (56), Roselawn, Tullamore received a three-month driving ban and a €750 fine in the local District Court when he was convicted of careless driving.
At an initial appeal hearing in the Circuit Court last month Judge Ronan Munro heard how the prosecution resulted from Mr McDermott overtaking a garda at a temporary red light where road works were taking place.
Judge Munro said he would remove the disqualification and reduce the fine to €50 if the man took “advanced driving” lessons and adjourned the appeal to this week for arrangements to be made for a course to be booked.
When the matter came before the court on Thursday, May 7, Mr McDermott said he had identified a driver awareness course but had not booked it yet because he needed to clarify if it was acceptable to the prosecution.
Mr McDermott said the course would comprise four modules over two days, would cost €250, and would involve a certificate of completion being issued.
The man's barrister, Stephen Byrne, BL, said details of the course had been handed into the court but Judge Munro questioned if it was what he had intended.
“It looks like a classroom thing,” the judge remarked.
He explained that his understanding of an advanced driving course involved getting into a car for field lessons with a focus on safety.
The matter came before the court again on Friday, May 8 and Patrick Martin, solicitor for Mr McDermott, said that while a driving instructor had not yet been identified, his client would take the lessons within the next three months.
Judge Munro removed the ban and reduced the fine, adding that a certificate of completion of the course would have to be provided to the Offaly state solicitor.