Solicitor for Lurgan woman, currently a sentenced prisoner, tells a Craigavon court his client has 'fallen on difficult times'
A Co Armagh woman, who is currently a sentenced prisoner, appeared before Craigavon Magistrates Court on Friday charged with having no insurance.
Tamara Rose Hanratty, aged 30, from Avenue Road, Lurgan, appeared video link from Hydebank Prison and pleaded guilty to having no insurance.
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Her solicitor, Mr Philip Reid explained his client is a sentenced prisoner after a crown court trial and due for release on May 10 next year.
Police had stopped Hanratty driving a Mercedes on Kiln Road, Lurgan, on April 5 this year. Checks showed she didn’t have valid insurance.
Mr Reid explained it was a friend’s car. Her friend had taken alcohol so Hanratty drove. "She had fallen on some difficult times,” he said.
District Judge Michael Ranaghan said this didn’t pass the custody threshold. He banned Hanratty from driving for three months and fined her £300 plus the £15 Offender Levy.
The fine was dealt via an immediate warrant of seven days concurrent to her current sentence.