Tipperary judge says woman who can't attend court for medical reasons must produce cert

The solicitor for a woman who it is alleged cannot appear in court due to health problems has been told by Nenagh District Court that he must produce evidence to that effect.

An earlier court had been told that the woman had hired a car at Cork Airport and failed to return it.

However, she was subsequently discovered in the vehicle in Tipperary.

Judge Elizabeth MacGrath had adjourned the case last year as Laura McCarthy of 25 Liffey Park,Mayfield, Cork, had undergone a Covid-19 test and could not attend court.

However, when the case returned to court last week, her solicitor, David Peters, told the judge that Ms McCarthy was now in hospital and it was not known when she could attend court.

The earlier court had heard that Ms McCarthy had hired a car at Cork Airport on December 22, 2018, and was due to return it two days later. However, she failed to bring the vehicle back.

She was found driving the vehicle at Rearcross on March 10, 2019, and, following questioning by the gardaí, was charged with using a vehicle without the owner’s consent and driving without insurance or a driver’s licence.

The court had been told by Sgt Regina McCarthy that the hire company had reported the car as being stolen. They had been unable to charge the defendant extra as her credit card had been blocked.

Sgt McCarthy told the court that the hire company would have been out of pocket as they would not have been able to hire the vehicle out until it was returned.

Sgt McCarthy had told the court that Ms McCarthy, 45, had a total of 19 previous convictions, including seven for theft.

Judge Elizabeth MacGrath had said that she would not deal with the case until the defendant came before the court.

She adjourned the case to July 21.