Laois motorist failed to produce insurance and driving licence

A 25-year-old man who failed to produce his driving licence and insurance after a traffic stop in Graiguecullen was fined €350 at Carlow District Court. Before Judge Geraldine Carthy was Conor John Coffey (25), Rath Glen, Killeshin, Co Laois, represented by solicitor Joe Farrell, who entered a guilty plea.

Garda Walsh’s evidence to the court was that she was on traffic duty in Graiguecullen on 9 August 2025 at 11.41am when she stopped a car being driven by the defendant. Mr Coffey did not have his licence with him at the time and was asked to produce it, along with valid insurance, at Carlow Garda Station within ten days. However, he failed to do so.

The court heard that Mr Coffey has no previous convictions.

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In mitigation, Mr Farrell said his client believed it was “a routine traffic stop”. He said Mr Coffey’s insurance was most likely cancelled by his insurer due to a missed payment, something he didn’t realise at the time he was driving.

Mr Coffey, who was in court with his father, had been unavailable to appear before the court for the previous 12 weeks, but was now “getting himself back in order”, his solicitor said.

Mr Farrell said his client could not afford to be disqualified from driving because he needed his car for work. He added that Mr Coffey took out a valid insurance policy shortly after learning the earlier cover had been cancelled.

“There was a limited amount of money in his account when he expected more,” Mr Farrell said in explanation of the missed payment.

Judge Carthy convicted and fined Mr Coffey €350, with 90 days to pay, on the no insurance charge. The matters of failing to produce a licence and insurance were taken into consideration.

Funded by the Court Reporting Scheme