Hidden speed van just ‘shooting fish in a barrel’
A judge struck out a raft of speeding charges on the grounds that the location of the speed van was dangerous.
It was the second time in five months that Judge James Faughnan dismissed the cases against motorists caught speeding on Church Street in Ballinasloe as long as they turned up in court or were represented by a solicitor.
Six motorists clocked at driving between 59kph and 66kph in a 50kph zone had their charges thrown out.
And Judge Faughnan vowed to continue to do so, even though he had spotted a GoSafe van at the same location in the last fortnight.
“I saw the van there again in the last two weeks, so clearly the State have a view on it,” he remarked.
One motorist, Gerard Dara McCahill, pleaded guilty at Ballinasloe District Court to driving at 65kph in a 50kph zone on the N63 in Moylough on January 14. He was fined €100.
Last May 35 motorists had their cases struck out for speeding by the Judge.
He told the court that van was “hiding” behind a wall near a church and a filling station, and he had spotted four motorists jamming on their breaks to avoid getting done by the speed camera.
“The location is dangerous. It’s going to lead to accidents – not prevent them,” he declared.
Inspector Conor Madden, who is in charge of roads policing in Galway, said there had been a number of road accidents at that location which had resulted in serious injuries.
But Judge Faughnan said the van was “shooting fish in a barrel” instead of slowing down traffic.
“This is entrapment the way it’s being done…It’s causing people to fret, jam on brakes, the very thing you’re trying to prevent.”
He was also concerned that many of the cases clocked motorists at 59kph and believed the Gardaí should be worried about the calibration of the speeding machines.
Pictured: Speed vans...Judge outlines issues with location.