Teen ‘foolishly’ drove car before sorting out licence and insurance
A teenager got tax back, bought a car and foolishly drove it before getting his driving licence and insurance in order, a court heard.
Rory Cox (18) asked a judge not to ban him from driving, saying he was an apprentice mechanic and he needed his licence for his job.
Judge William Aylmer said Cox was a very foolish young man, but he would give him a chance. The judge fined him €50 and did not ban him from driving.
The defendant, of Hastings Green in Balbriggan, admitted uninsured and unlicenced driving at Station Road in Lusk on April 27, 2025.
Balbriggan District Court heard Cox made a U-turn before a garda checkpoint on Rathmore Road in Lusk.
He was followed by gardaí, and he pulled over. Cox told gardaí he’d never had a driving licence. He was also found with a small amount of cannabis.
Defence lawyer Annette Kealy said Cox was an apprentice mechanic.
She also said Cox had been smoking to alleviate anxiety.
She asked the judge to be lenient, saying a drug conviction and a driving ban would both have a detrimental impact on his future prospects. Judge Aylmer told Cox to take the chance he was being offered by the court.