Leitrim mother disqualified after 'taking a chance driving to Aldi' uninsured

A 46-year-old woman has been disqualified from driving for two years after she admitted driving without insurance and without holding a driving licence. Amanda O’Hagan 14 Naomh Brid Drumcong, Leitrim, appeared before Carrick-on-Shannon District Court, where the court heard the offences occurred on Saturday, August 17, 2024. The court was told Gardaí whttps://www.leitrimobserver.ie/ere on patrol when an ANPR alert showed the vehicle, was untaxed. A mobility device check also showed the driver was not covered by insurance. The court heard there were admissions made at the scene that she did not have insurance.

The judge was told Ms O’Hagan had three previous convictions, with the Garda noting they dated back as far as 2013.
Defence solicitor Martin Burke told the court Ms O’Hagan is a 46-year-old single woman and a mother of three children.
“She has three children. She was just going to Aldi to get groceries and she took a chance,” he said. Mr Burke told the court Ms O’Hagan works part-time in a preschool and is receiving a parental allowance.

He told the court her previous convictions were spent convictions, and said she accepted she did not have insurance or a licence. However, the judge said the previous convictions still posed a difficulty for the court. “The difficulty is the fact that whilst they’re spent convictions, they’re relevant convictions,” the judge said. The court questioned how the situation arose, with the judge remarking: “So you’re telling me that she simply took a chance…?” While the court said it would deal with the matter as a first offence in terms of disqualification, the judge noted there were limits on how much discretion could be
exercised.

“I am going to deal with it as in a first offence, that’s as much as I can do in terms of disqualification, but I cannot use my discretion in circumstances where the matter has been before the court for a similar conviction,” the judge said. Ms O’Hagan was convicted and fined €250, with five months allowed to pay, and was disqualified from driving for two years. A further conviction and fine of €100 was also imposed for failing to produce a driving licence.

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