A dab of lipstick cost a Navan woman £100 at Dunshaughlin Court yesterday. Ms Jacqueline Durney, of Athlumney Castle, Navan, Co Meath, a fashion store assistant, was seen applying make-up on a busy road by Garda Roy Dunphy shortly after 8.30 a.m. on October 8th.
The garda said he was driving behind the woman for some time at Rathbeggan, Dunshaughlin, and saw her applying make-up. There were roadworks in progress and when she adjusted the mirror to apply her lipstick she swerved. He said the car was travelling at 27 m.p.h. at the time of the incident and he decided to stop the driver.
Her solicitor, Ms Margaret McCann, explained that Ms Durney's sleep was interrupted twice during the previous night by her house alarm and she had slept late as a result. Even after she left for work she was worried that the alarm had gone off during the night and had returned to the house to check it.
As a result she was running very late and when stopped at the roadworks began applying make-up.
"She was a danger on the road but at least she didn't have a mobile phone in her other hand," said Judge John Brophy as he convicted Ms Durney of driving without due consideration for other road-users.