Plan backfires! Kilkenny motorist gave false name - of other man wanted by gardaí

Giving a false name to gardaí when stopped backfired on one motorist — when it transpired there was a bench warrant out for the other person.

Thomas Delaney, 30 Clonrooskie View, Port Laoise, was before Kilkenny District Court charged with giving a false name and address to gardaí, not having a driving licence and not having insurance.
Sergeant Morgan O’Connor said Mr Delaney was stopped by gardaí at the Waterford Road on October 19 last.

Mr Delaney gave his brother’s name to gardaí. When gardaí checked it transpired there was a bench warrant in existence for the other man.
Mr Delaney was arrested and taken to Kilkenny Garda Station. When gardaí discovered Mr Delaney had given a false name and address they checked on the Pulse system and found that there was also a bench warrant in existence for the man they had arrested.

Mr Delaney was disqualified from driving at the time.
Solicitor Chris Hogan said his client had been ‘unlucky’ and Judge Geraldine Carthy commented that “you couldn’t make it up!”
Mr Hogan said his client had panicked and given his brother’s name when stopped by the gardaí. He was not aware of the bench warrant for him.
The court heard Mr Delaney had 34 previous convictions.

Mr Hogan said Mr Delaney was in Kilkenny with his wife. He was not driving. His wife is not an experienced driver and panicked with the heavy traffic in the city. Mr Delaney said he would drive the car out of the city and she could drive home on the country roads. But he was stopped by gardaí.
He hasn’t come to garda attention since.

Judge Carthy convicted Mr Delaney of driving without insurance and imposed an eight year disqualification with three months imprisonment. Other charges were taken into consideration.