‘I don’t believe a word of it’ - Kilkenny judge tells uninsured driver

“I don’t believe a word of it,” a judge told a motorist whose defence to driving without insurance was that car insurance was not mandatory in his native country.

Lucas Guimaraes, Portree Guest House, Mary Street, Waterford, was charged with driving without insurance at the N76, Farmleigh, Callan, on October 16, 2024.

Garda ANPR detected the vehicle’s lack of insurance.
When stopped by gardaí, Mr Guimaraes admitted he had no insurance. He said he had been given a quote of €4,000 from an insurance company and wouldn’t pay that.

Mr Guimaraes’s solicitor said his client is from Brazil where insurance is not mandatory. This was the first vehicle he had purchased in Ireland.
Mr Guimaraes now understands the mandatory nature of insurance here.

“I don’t believe a word of it,” Judge Geraldine Carthy said. “He knew what he needed to do, he even rang the insurance company,” she pointed out.
Convicting Mr Guimaraes of driving without insurance, the judge imposed a fine of €250 and disqualified him from driving for two years.