Sheep farmer fined after tyre issue on route to mart

An Inishowen farmer has been fined in Court after being found in breach of the law over tyre tread depth while taking a load of sheep to a mart.

Philip Faulkner was on his way to the mart when he was stopped at a checkpoint manned by gardai and the Road Safety Authority on June 16, 2022.

Sergeant Vincent Muldoon gave evidence to Letterkenny District Court this week. Sergeant Muldoon said he stopped a vehicle which was towing a trailer carrying sheep at 2.50pm at Listillion, Letterkenny.

An RSA inspector was present when Sergeant Muldoon stopped the vehicle.

The two rear tyres were below the legal limit, the treads measuring 1.3m and 0.7m. Sergeant Muldoon said the sheep had to be taken from the trailer and put on a different trailer to be taken to the mart.

Solicitor Mr Kieran O’Gorman said his client, a 70-year-old of Tullynagin, Redcastle, had never been in trouble before. He said it was ‘too late’ when Faulkner realised that he could have paid a fine.

Judge Éiteáin Cunningham fined Faulkner €160 on a charge for each tyre and allowed five months to pay.