Ireland

Fines totalling €174,000 in crackdown on M50 toll dodgers

Penalties ranging from €4,000 to €21,000 were handed down at Dublin District Court

Casian Bot leaving the Four Courts after he was fined €4 000. Photograph: Collins Courts

Tom Tuite
Mon Jun 18 2018 - 18:51

Sixteen motorists accused of dodging M50 tolls were hit with fines totalling €174,000 on Monday.

The penalties ranging from €4,000 to €21,000 were handed down by Judge John Brennan at Dublin District Court.

One goods vehicle used the motorway 895 times without paying, the court heard. Another motorist was landed with €4,000 in fines for journeys he claimed were done when his brother was using his car.

On top of the fines, each vehicle owner was ordered to pay €150 per charge in prosecution costs.

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Some 20 cases were adjourned to allow those motorists engage with the NRA and three other car owners had prosecutions withdrawn or struck out having resolved their cases.

Only one of the 16 motorists whose case was finalised was present. The other 15 did not appear in court, which Judge Brennan described as an aggravating factor.

Father-of-three Casian Bot (27), with an address at Belgree Rise, Tyrellstown, Dublin, was handed fines totalling €4,000.

Judge John Brennan was told he had been the registered owner of the car from June last year until January 2018. His car had a history of 240 passages on the M50 and no payments.

Defence solicitor Daniel Hanahoe said his client was originally from Romania and has been here since 2007. He was unemployed and it had been his brother who had been using the car. The court heard his brother is now living in Germany and was unable to pay.

Mr Hanahoe said it was accepted his client was the registered owner of the car and he bore responsibility.

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