Driving ban handed down at Kilkenny court for speeding at 198 kph
A three-month driving ban and a fine of €1,000 were imposed on a defendant at Kilkenny District Court who admitted careless driving.
Emanuel Drezdiu, 15 Gardiner Street, Dublin 1 admitted the offence which took place at Knocktopher on the M9 on October 8, 2021.
On the date in question gardaí were operating a speedcheck on the M9 when the defendant, who was driving a BMW, was detected driving at a speed of 198 kilometres per hour when the speed limit was 120 kilometres per hour.
The court heard that the excuse the defendant gave to gardaí was that he was dropping a youth to Waterford and had to be back at his accommodation in Dublin by a specified time and was rushing. The defendant co-operated fully with gardaí.
Solicitor Chris Hogan told the court that his client accepted that his that it was ‘a highly excessive speed’ and that he was putting himself and other road users at risk.
Mr Hogan said that his client, a Romanian national, who is the father of three young children, was working as a delivery driver and the loss of his licence would mean that he would not be able to work. Mr Hogan said that his client has since moved into alternative accommodation which closes at 11pm.
Judge Alec Gabbett convicted the defendant of careless driving and fined him €1,100 and imposed a three-month disqualification order.
“I would suggest that he gets rid of the BMW and gets a bike instead,” he added.