76-year-old man 'took a chance' driving uninsured vehicle for an NCT

A 76-year-old man who “took a chance” and drove his vehicle without insurance to undertake an NCT test avoided a disqualification.
Patrick Joseph Sheridan, 11 Errew Drive, Lough Rynn, Mohill pleaded guilty to no insurance and failing to produce insurance at Tully, Leitrim on March 5, 2022.
His solicitor, Colm Conway, explained this his client had no previous convictions and had only recently moved to live in Mohill full time from Florida.
He had a Mercedes in storage and when he returned to Ireland he found that he could not insure this vehicle as it had no valid NCT.
“He was on his way to the NCT,” said Mr Conway, when he was stopped.
The vehicle was seized and it cost €800 to have it returned to the defendant.
The vehicle is now fully compliant with NCT and is also insured.
“He had no family to assist him in the area and he took a chance (driving the car for the NCT),” said Mr Conway.
“I would ask you be as lenient as possible.”
Judge Vincent Deane, who was presiding at Carrick-on-Shannon District Court, said that he would not impose a disqualification in this case as Mr Sheridan had been trying to get to the NCT centre in order to enable him to get insurance on his car.
He then convicted and fined Mr Sheridan €350 for having no insurance and took into consideration the non-production of insurance.