Uninsured driver was rushing to rescue distressed cat, court hears
An animal lover foolishly drove without insurance after she rushed to help a cat in difficulty, a court has heard.
Catalina Buthariuc (27) was driving her father’s car at the time, and he had been unsuccessfully trying to have her included as a named driver on his vehicle. Judge Shalom Binchy convicted and fined Buthariuc €600, but did not disqualify her from driving.
The judge said it seemed that Buthariuc knew she was not insured, and reminded the defendant that she should not put the welfare of cats ahead of other road users.
The defendant, with an address at Lambeecher in Balbriggan, admitted driving without insurance on the R132 Courtlough on March 25 this year.
It was a “stupid mistake” for the defendant to make
Sergeant Janice Gray told Balbriggan District Court gardaí were conducting a routine checkpoint when they stopped Buthariuc and asked her to produce her insurance documents, which she failed to do.
The court heard the defendant had never been in trouble before.
Defence solicitor Fiona D’Arcy said Buthariuc rescues and fosters cats, and on this day she had learnt of a cat that was in difficulty.
The defendant, who works as a retail manager, drove down to rescue the cat.
This was a “stupid mistake for the defendant to make”, the court heard.
Ms D’Arcy asked Judge Binchy not to disqualify Buthariuc from driving, saying she needed her driving licence for her job.
Ms D’Arcy also said that Buthariuc had learnt a salutary lesson.