Driving ban for Kilkenny resident who was 'shopping around for insurance'

A woman who was “still shopping around” for insurance when stopped driving by gardaí has been disqualified from driving for four years at Kilkenny District Court.

Vichy Achiro, 1 Seville Grove, Margaretsfield, Callan Road, Kilkenny, was driving at College Road on October 22 last when the attention of gardaí was to her vehicle.

The garda mobility device indicated the car was uninsured.
When asked about her insurance by the gardaí Ms Achiro said she was “still shopping around” for a policy.

The court heard the defendant had six previous convictions, including one for driving without insurance.

Solicitor Ed Hughes said his client is 36 and the mother of five children, with a sixth on the way.

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Ms Achiro works part time in the health care sector and, as part of that, she has to drive to client’s homes a number of times a week. All her children go to different schools in Kilkenny and she will be “very put out” by a disqualification, the solicitor said.

He told the court that when Ms Achiro was renewing her insurance she asked to add her daughter, who had just turned 18, to the policy. But she was shocked at the price quoted and it was a week before she got a policy in place.

Judge Geraldine Carthy convicted Ms Achiro of driving without insurance and imposed a fine of €250. She was also disqualified from driving for four years.
Recognisance was fixed in the event of an appeal.