Leitrim court hears young motorcyclist with no insurance panicked when he saw the Gardai

A young man on a scrambler type motorbike without insurance panicked when he saw the Gardai and drove off at speed.
Appearing before Manorhamilton District Court on a plea of guilty to no insurance and no driving licence on April 21, 2022 at Corrigeencor, Dromahair, was Josh Packyn, Gortigarrigan, Manorhamilton, Co Leitrim. A charge of dangerous driving was withdrawn and struck out.

The court heard that on the above date in the Corrigeencor area the Garda jeep which was on patrol came across a blue and red motorcycle which did a sharp U-turn from them and drove away at speed.
Gardai recognised the driver and called to the defendant's house where he admitted driving the motorcycle and to speeding away.

Mr Packyn, who is now 18, told Garda Cummins he had no licence or insurance and that was why he took off. He has not produced any documents since and had no previous convictions.

Solicitor, Kieran Ryan, said his client accepted he didn't have insurance and was extremely cooperative with the Gardai. The bike was a scrambler type used for off-road purposes.

He said sheep were escaping from lands about a kilometre from his house and he used the motorbike. Mr Ryan said he was on byroads at the time and panicked and turned when he saw the Gardai.

He told Judge Sandra Murphy that Mr Packyn is hoping to get on a course to drive diggers and lives in a remote area and so needs his licence.
A copy of Mr Packyn's UK provisional licence was handed in.

Judge Murphy accepted he now had a driving licence, albeit from another jurisdiction, and that he was cooperative and honest with the Gardai.

She convicted and fined him €250 for having no insurance, allowing six months to pay, but did not impose a disqualification.
He was also convicted of having no driving licence which was taken into consideration.