Man donates €4,000 and avoids road ban 

A driver had a charge of dangerous driving reduced to careless on payment of €4,000 to charity. 

Giorgi Tsalughelashvili, 23, of 74 Ardlea Road, Artane, Dublin 5 admitted driving at 178kph in a 120km on the M7 Motorway at Meelick, Portlaoise on January 7 last. 

His solicitor said he had €4,000 in court which had been requested if a charge of careless driving was to be accepted in place of the dangerous driving charge which would result in a driving ban. 

Judge Andrew Cody directed that the €4,000 be donated to the Midlands United Ladies Wheelchair Football team. He said two of the club’s members were due to travel to Australia to compete and the club could use the money. 

He then fined the man €500 for careless driving and gave him three months to pay the fine. No driving disqualification was imposed on the defendant.