Motorists who fail to pay on-the-spot fines in Dublin now run the risk of being disqualified from driving as a result of a tough approach by the judge presiding in the traffic court. Judge Timothy Crowley is regularly imposing a hefty fine and one-month driving disqualification for motorists who fail to pay the fines and then do not turn up in court when summonsed.
However, those who attend court usually receive a fine of between £15 and £60. They can even get a dismissal if they can plead special circumstances.
Those who each received a one month ban, an endorsement and a £150 fine at Dublin District Court yesterday included people who parked on clearways, or displayed out-of-date tax discs.
Judge Crowley fixed recognisances for an appeal in each case at a personal bond of £500 plus an independent surety of £500.
However, another driver had the driving offence dismissed after telling the court he parked at a bus stop on Dorset Street because he was picking up his daughter's communion dress from Alexander's in the rain.
A barrister appeared for a woman driver explaining she had parked on a clearway at St Stephen's Green for a few minutes on December 11th to collect her 87-year-old mother.
Judge Crowley dismissed that offence as well and added: "I can sympathise, I have a mother-in-law who is 97".