Woman who ‘had wrong glasses on’ is fined for careless driving

A pensioner who pleaded guilty to a charge of careless driving has been fined €250 at Glenties District Court. 

Dolores Gildea, 77, of Glenconwal, Ardara, had originally been charged with dangerous driving at Tullynaglaggan,Glenties on September 10, 2020. But after an outline of the facts, the State agreed to take a plea to the lesser charge. 

Garda Noel Gavigan said he was off duty and driving his own car at Frosses on September 10, 2020, when he saw a silver Toyota Yaris driving on the wrong side of the road. It continued around a bend causing on-coming traffic to swerve to avoid a collision. 

At this point, the garda flashed his lights and blew his horn in an attempt to stop the vehicle but to no avail. 

The car continued to veer over and back, through a number of townlands     

The garda eventually overtook the defendant and stopped her at Kilraine Junction near Glenties. 

The defendant told the garda that she was bringing her car to the NCT, and it was pulling to the right. 

And she could not see very well as she had the wrong glasses on. 

Judge Eiteain Cunningham said that in the light of evidence she could not consider the lesser charge of careless driving. 

The case was then adjourned to allow the defence to consider their position. 

Defence Solicitor Frank Dorrian said the defendant was going for an NCT and she got a fright from a car flashing its lights and blowing its horn. 

Mr Dorrian handed in a letter from her GP. 

Ms Gildea was not aware that the car behind her was a garda car. 

Mr Dorrian said the lady was emotional and was not sure what was going on. 

The court heard the pensioner had been passed fit to drive by her doctor. 

Inspector Tony Byrne said the State were prepared to accept a plea to the lesser charge of careless driving. 

Mr Dorrian said his client was 77 and had no previous convictions. 

She had paid great attention to the matter before the court. 

It was a cause of concern to her, and her doctor said she was fit to drive. 

Judge Cunningham fined the defendant €250 and did not impose a driving ban in the circumstances and due to the fact that the defendant had no previous convictions.