A KILBRITTAIN motorist has avoided a disqualification after he admitted unwittingly driving without insurance.

Bandon District Court heard the defendant had not realised he didn’t have sufficient funds in his bank account to cover the monthly direct debits which he was paying to his insurance company.

David McSweeney (41) of 14 Brookfield, Kilbrittain pleaded guilty at Bandon District Court to driving without insurance in Bandon last summer.

Sgt Tom Mulcahy told the court that at 7.24pm on August 23rd last Sgt Coholan was on mobile patrol on North Main Street in Bandon when he got an ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition) alert that there was no insurance on a Ford Transit van being driven by the accused.

‘Mr McSweeney told Sgt Coholan that he was insured but it emerged the policy was cancelled in June. His vehicle was seized and fixed charged notices were issued for the non-display of a tax disc,’ said Sgt Mulcahy.

The court heard that Mr McSweeney has 14 previous convictions including for the possession of drugs and the possession of drugs for the purpose of sale or supply.

His solicitor Myra Dinneen said her client had been paying Axa by direct debit for his insurance.

‘He tripped up on the direct debit as he is a self-employed plasterer and his bank account didn’t have money in it to meet the direct debit. He thought he was covered when he was stopped by Gda Coholan,’ said Ms Dinneen

‘He has previous convictions but is doing well now and he took out insurance on June 24th.’

Judge Andrew Cody convicted and fined him €750 for the offence and gave him six months to pay the fine but did not disqualify him. He took in consideration the failure to produce insurance.