Laois woman’s driving ban overturned after ‘unholy mix up’
“It is the wrong defendant, the wrong vehicle,” a solicitor for the woman said
An “unholy mix up” resulted in a Portlaoise woman being disqualified over a summons that was served on a man in Mountrath, a court has heard.
Ann McInerney (65) of New Road, Portlaoise was banned from driving for six months and fined €750 for parking in a disabled space at a sitting of Portlaoise District Court on January 9, 2025. The woman wasn’t in court when the ban was handed down along with a €750 fine. The offence was alleged to have happened at Dublin Road, Kilminchy, Portlaoise on July 9, 2024.
Solicitor Philip Meagher said “there has been some unholy mix up” in relation to the prosecution of his client.
“The urgency here is we are actually disqualified at the moment,” said Mr Meagher.
He explained that a summons for the alleged offence had been served on Tommy McInerney at an address where the car is registered in Mountrath last October.
“We don’t know where the confusion has come from. We have no link with that car,” said Mr Meagher. “It is the wrong defendant, the wrong vehicle,” he said.
Mr Meagher said his client couldn’t even attend the court to explain herself because she hadn’t been aware it was taking place.
When asked by Judge Susan Fay if the woman was related to the registered owner of the car, Tommy McInerney, Mr Meagher said, “Her husband is a distant cousin, just by coincidence.”
“If the ownership of the vehicle is checked up it will come up as Tommy McInerney,” said Mr Meagher.
Ms McInerney took to the stand where Mr Meagher questioned her about the car.
“Do you have any explanation as to why you might have been named?” he asked. The woman said she didn’t.
“Somewhere in the summons a glitch popped up,” said Mr Meagher.
“The summons was served on a completely different family,” he explained.
Garda Sergeant Rowan Casey said he had no objection to Mr Meagher’s request.
“On the basis that the summons was clearly served in a different town in Laois I will set aside the order made by my colleague on the 9th of January,” said Judge Fay.