Judge criticises late enforcement of fines in Kildare court

A Naas District Court judge has criticised delays in enforcing fines while he presided over cases on Thursday, July 25.

The criticism was made by Judge Desmond Zaidan, over the course of two cases.

A woman and a man were brought in separately for the execution of separate bench warrants against them.

In the case of the woman, the judge noted that he had convicted her for not having a TV licence back in 2018, and ordered her to pay a €200 fine.

"The State have now asked me to enforce this in July 2024... never mind not being right legally, it wouldn't be morally right [to enforce it]."

He said that he noted the execution of the bench warrant against the woman, and struck out the fine.

For the man, the judge said: "Again... this is from 2016."

The exact nature of the offence committed by the man was not disclosed before the court.

The man's defending solicitor, Tim Kennelly, applied for a strike-out in the case, citing the delay.

Judge Zaidan asked the prosecuting garda if the man had come to any garda attention since 2016, to which the garda replied that the man has not come to garda attention since then.

The judge said that he noted this fact, and agreed to strike the case out, due to 'extraordinary delay.'

As the man left the court, he told the judge: "Thanks Judge, I hope not to see you again!"

"Keep it up!" the judge replied back.