Three motorists land in the dock over loud exhausts
Three motorists, with noisy exhausts, featured at Galway District Court, where Judge Mary Fahy advised them not to waste their money on modified cars.
Thomas Creaven (20) from Gardenham, Claregalway, was first up. He pleaded guilty to letting his now ex-girlfriend drive his white, modified, but dangerously defective car on October 20 last year at Queen Street, Galway.
Garda Garrett Cafferkey gave evidence he seized the car after noticing the rear of the vehicle was lowered to such an extent that it was sitting right on top of the rear tyres.
PSV inspector, Sgt. Tony McHugh examined the car and deemed it dangerously defective to drive.
The exhaust was also excessively noisy, Garda Cafferkey pointed out.
“This was a disaster waiting to happen and it’s just as well Garda Cafferkey is as vigilant as he is,” Judge Mary Fahy said before fining Creaven €300.
Next up was 21-year-old Lisa Concannon, from Greyford, Kiltulla, Athenry, who was not present in court.
Her employer, John Morris, said she was doing a health and safety course and was unable to attend.
Garda Cafferkey said he had stopped the girl on two or three occasions before and given her a chance to fit a silencer to the exhaust of her car but it was never done and he issued a summons on June 14 last year after stopping her again on the Coast Road, Roscam.
Mr Morris said Concannon no longer had that car and she drove a company car now.
Judge Fahy fined her €200 for not having a silencer fitted to her old car.
The third case involved manufacturing engineer, James Brogan (31), of 181 an Fiodan, Doughiska, who pleaded guilty to not having a silencer fitted on the exhaust of his 1993 modified car when stopped by Garda Cafferkey on June 24 last near his home.
He said he had since got another car because the 1993 car failed the NCT test.
Judge Fahy said it was a modified 1993 car and he could not have expected it to pass its NCT.
Hearing he worked in a local factory as a manufacturing engineer, Judge Fahy told him he was a very foolish young man to be spending his money on this type of activity and getting convictions for it.
Hearing he had no previous convictions and was no longer driving the modified car, Judge Fahy fined him €150 for not having a silencer.
She said she would not convict him of not having an NCT certificate at the time as it would attract penalty points.