Enniskillen courthouse
A 19-year-old man who is accused of taking his brother-in-law’s Mercedes to buy a packet of cigarettes has been convicted of taking a car without authority.
Patrick Donovan, of Stragowna Road, Kinawley, pleaded guilty to driving without insurance or driving licence and taking a vehicle without the owner’s permission.
Eight penalty points endorsed on his licence and he was fined a total of £200.
Explaining the background of the incident, a prosecutor stated that on June 6, this year, at approximately 9am, police were on patrol in the Trasna Way area of Lisnaskea area when they stopped the defendant driving a Mercedes C200.
The defendant told officers that the vehicle belonged to another man and he had insurance from the Republic which allowed him to drive it.
Donovan was subsequently asked to produce insurance documents to Lisnaskea police station.
On August 4, the man who owned the car told police he had not given permission to the defendant to drive his vehicle on the day he was stopped.
Donovan was cautioned for driving and taking away and on August 12, he was arrested for all of the offences but made no comment.
Defence solicitor Myles McManus said his client had ‘taken a chance’ that morning.
“He wanted cigarettes and drove from the house where he was staying which belongs to his brother-in-law,” he added.
“But his brother-in-law, who was not there at the time, is now more careful about his keys.
“He does not have a licence and only moved to Northern Ireland recently; he was born and bred in the Republic of Ireland.”
Two further charges of failing to produce a driving licence and failing to produce insurance were withdrawn by the Public Prosecution Service.
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