Tipperary Covid travel limit breaker has summons dismissed over non-delivery of notice

A man who broke Covid-19 travel restrictions in order to watch a sulky race had a summons for breach of the regulations dismissed by Nenagh District Court.

Michael Faulkner of 4 Longpavement, Watchhouse Cross, Limerick, had been summonsed for failure to pay a fixed charge penalty notice in relation to being outside the 5km travel limit at Fivealley, Nenagh, on March 6, 2021.

The court heard that the gardaí had spoken to Mr Faulkner on the day and he told them he was there to watch a sulky race.

In his direct evidence to the court, Mr Faulkner stated he had been there for the race but had not received the penalty notice.

“There are 17 families on the halting site and four Michael Faulkners,” he said.

He said the postman often gets confused and hands letters out to whoever he comes across and “some families don’t speak to each other”.

He had only received the summons to court because a garda had put it in his hand.

Mr Faulkner told Sgt Regina McCarthy that they were trying to get the issue around getting post on the halting site resolved.

Judge Patricia Cronin struck out the summons against Mr Faulkner.