It's all downhill for motorist on speeding charge in Letterkenny

A man who was caught by Gardai traveling at 130kph in a 100kph zone said part of the reason he was traveling so fast was that he was going downhill.

Manus Canning appeared before Letterkenny District Court to face a charge of speeding.

Garda Stephen Carroll told the court that he had stopped the driver at 3.06pm on August 27th, 2023 at Magheraboy outside Letterkenny.

When stopped, he told Gardai that he had no reason for speeding and was issued with a fixed penalty notice.

However, the fixed penalty notice was never paid.

Solicitor for the accused, Ms Alison Parke, told the court that her client, of Moneymore, Drogheda, in Co Louth, is 42 years old and has three children.

She added that when Canning was served with the fixed penalty notice, it was behind the summons.

On the date in question he was driving on the dual carriageway.

He was overtaking a number of caravans and was traveling downhill.

The court was told that there was no risk and Mr Canning was no danger to others.

Ms Parke also told the court that her client had no previous convictions and had never come to the attention of the courts before.

Judge Éiteáin Cunningham said that the best she could do for the accused was a fine of €320 which was what the fine would have been if it was paid in the first place.