Woman caught without insurance for seventh time appears in Longford court

A mother of three caught driving without insurance for the seventh time has been told she could be facing a spell behind bars.

Lynette Delaney, of 7 River Meadow, Dromod, Co Leitrim, was charged with a string of road traffic offences after being stopped by gardaí at Aughegnan, Co Longford on March 23 this year.

Ms Delaney, the court was told, was pulled in at around 4:30pm after a report was made by an eagle-eyed off-duty garda who had seen the accused, who was disqualified at the time, behind the wheel.

That conviction, which was her sixth for no insurance, came at a sitting of Longford District Court in May 2020 resulting in a four year disqualification.

She was also fined €500 and handed a three month prison sentence, suspended for a period of three years.

In defence, solicitor Frank Gearty acknowledged the case was an “extremely serious” one.

In doing so, he asked Judge Bernadette Owens to approve a probation report to be carried out on his client.

Mr Gearty said while there was an acceptance on Ms Delaney’s part over her culpability, the report, he advised would shed further light on certain mitigating factors.

“She was in quite a dysfunctional relationship at the time and she has since got rid of the car,” he said.

In addressing his client directly, Mr Gearty asked Ms Delaney if she would be open to the court deferring any possible custodial sentence for the purposes of a probation report to be carried out.

“Yes please,” came the reply.

Judge Owens acceded to Mr Gearty’s request, but warned Ms Delaney that she wouldn’t be “making any promises” to her regarding her liberty when the case next comes before her.

She consequently remanded Ms Delaney on bail to a sitting of Longford District Court on July 12.