Courts / Dublin / Report
International lorry driver escapes disqualification but is convicted of tachograph interference
Summary
Kenneth Maher, a 41‑year‑old international lorry driver from La Chapelle‑Launay, France, was convicted at Swords District Court for careless driving and interfering with his vehicle's tachograph. On 11 January he was stopped on the M1 near Dublin Airport after travelling at 120 km/h in a 100 km/h zone. Garda Michael Lavelle noted Maher admitted using a magnet on his gearbox that interferes with the tachograph's electronic control unit, affecting the recordings, brakes and steering. Maher claimed he had only recently started using the magnet due to financial difficulties and to earn extra hours. The judge, Dermot Dempsey, was surprised by the claim that the magnet could have endangered a family. Maher pleaded guilty, expressed genuine regret and was fined €400 for careless driving and €150 for tachograph interference, but was not disqualified from driving under special circumstances. The court highlighted the importance of the tachograph for safety.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: International lorry driver escapes disqualification but is convicted of tachograph interference. Charges or matters: careless driving, of interfering with the vehicle's tachograph and fined a total of €550 at Swords District Court after he pleaded guilty to careless driving, interfering with the recording equipment and failure to make proper use of the tacograph on January 11th on the M1 in Swords. Procedural stage: sentence. Findings: Convicted
When:
- January 11th Incident
- 2014-01-21 Publication
Why: AN INTERNATIONAL lorry driver who interfered with his vehicle's tachograph in order to allow him to drive for extra hours, has escaped a disqualification from driving under special circumstances. CNI source report
Case subjects
Convicted Person
Charges: careless driving, of interfering with the vehicle's tachograph and fined a total of €550 at Swords District Court after he pleaded guilty to careless driving, interfering with the recording equipment and failure to make proper use of the tacograph on January 11th on the M1 in Swords (Proven)
Plea: Guilty
Finding: Convicted
Outcome: Convicted; Kenneth Maher was convicted of careless driving, of interfering with the vehicle's tachograph and fined a total of €550 at Swords District Court after he pleaded guilty to careless driving, interfering with the recording equipment and failure to make proper use of the tacograph on January 11th on the M1 in Swords. However, he convicted and fined Maher €400 for careless driving and convicted and fined him a further €150 for interfering with the lorry's tachograph.
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