Culdaff man fined €300 for driving without a valid NCT certificate

A Culdaff man, who drove without road tax or a valid NCT certificate, has been fined €300 in court.

Yelizar Serdiuchenko, of Ravenscroft Cottage, 29 Dunalainn, Culdaff, did not appear before Carndonagh District Court to answer a charge of failure to produce an NCT certificate.

However, Judge Brendan O’Reilly directed the case to proceed as scheduled, after being shown proof that the defendant was notified both by ordinary and registered post.

Garda Mark Doherty testified in the case, telling the court how he had been on duty at Bank Place, Carndonagh, on Monday, February 24, 2025, when the offence was detected.

At 12.50pm that afternoon, Garda Doherty stopped a 2010-registered black Renault Megane, and the driver of the vehicle gave his name as Yelizar Serdiuchenko.

The tax on the vehicle had expired for just over one year, while the NCT had expired since January 25, 2024.

Garda Doherty further told the court that Mr Serdiuchenko had been the owner of the vehicle in question since July 16, 2023.

The car was then seized under Section 41 of the Road Traffic Act.

A fixed charge penalty notice was subsequently issued in respect of the road tax offence, and Mr Serdiuchenko paid the postal fine.

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However, he failed to produce an NCT certificate at a Garda Station of his choice within ten days, and a summons was issued as a result.

The court heard how the Culdaff man has no previous convictions.

Judge O’Reilly imposed a conviction and a fine of €300, with three months to pay.