Lurgan teenager, who let partner drive her Vauxhall Corsa at Tesco car park in Craigavon, gets a three-day ban
‘It was down to immaturity,” a solicitor said of her client who had given her boyfriend permission to drive her car in a Tesco car park without insurance.
Ciara Irwin, aged 18, of Lilburn Hall, Lurgan, appeared before Craigavon Magistrates Court accused of permitting the use of a motor vehicle without insurance.
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Irwin’s solicitor, Ms Siun Downey, said that the co-defendant had already pleaded guilty in the case and received a three-day driving ban plus a £150 fine.
The court heard that on Tuesday, February 19 this year, at 11.40pm, police were on mobile patrol at Tesco car park in Marlborough Retail Park in Craigavon.
They spotted a red Vauxhall Corsa driving through the car park and spoke to the driver who was the defendant’s partner. He wasn’t insured for that vehicle or any other vehicle.
The defendant was sitting in the passenger seat and confirmed to police she had given her partner permission to drive.
Ms Downey said her client’s father was in court with her, adding that the defendant has “no criminal record”.
“This family have absolutely no experience with the court system whatsoever. She is very embarrassed to be here. Her mother and father are extremely concerned about the fact that she is here,” said Ms Downey, who asked District Judge Michael Ranaghan to deal with her client in a similar manner to her co-accused.
"This is really down to inexperience. They weren’t driving on a road, albeit it is a public place,” she said. “It was very late at night. There wouldn’t have been many people around.”
Ms Downey added: “It’s down to immaturity, nothing more than that.”
District Judge Ranaghan told the defendant: “The reason I don’t think we will ever see you again is the presence of that gentleman sitting beside you, your father, and the involvement of your mother. You are an adult now, but it always good to see reassurance from parents to prevent any further offending.”
He said he would deal with the matter as her co-accused had been and banned the defendant from driving for three days and gave her a £150 fine plus the £15 offender levy.