Anyone who drives like a lunatic will be dealt with sternly, a judge warned yesterday in sentencing a learner driver to a month in prison, writes Barry Roche.
The driver had been travelling at 100 m.p.h. in a car with four bald tyres and no insurance.
Judge Michael Pattwell issued the warning at Midleton District Court after hearing that Jonathan Burke (19), Blackrock, Co Cork, was clocked doing 100 m.p.h. in a Fiat Punto sports car on the Glanmire bypass on December 4th last.
Burke, who was neither present nor represented in court, had four bald tyres, no insurance, no L-plate and no driving licence when he was stopped. He had failed to produce insurance and his driving licence, the court heard.
Judge Pattwell sentenced Burke to a month in prison for having no insurance, endorsed his licence, disqualified him from driving for a year and fined him £150 for failing to produce a certificate of insurance.
He fined him £150, endorsed his licence and banned him from driving for two years for having four bald tyres, and imposed a similar penalty for speeding.
