Fined €250 for driving with phone in hand during "covert mobile phone checkpoint"
The young man was arrested for careless driving. Photo: Michael O'Rourke
A DRIVER was fined €250 at Carlow District Court recently after he failed to pay a fixed-charge notice after being caught driving with a mobile phone in his hand by gardaí conducting a “covert mobile phone checkpoint”.
Florin Chiricuta (44) with an address listed as Doirin Alainn, Ballylinan, Co Laois, appeared before Judge Geraldine Carthy charged with an offence contrary to section 3 of the .
The court heard that on 26 June 2025, Garda Ryan was conducting what was described as a covert mobile phone checkpoint at Kennedy Street, Carlow town and witnessed Mr Chiricuta driving while holding a mobile phone in his right hand.
Judge Geraldine Carthy was somewhat mystified at the description of the checkpoint, asking: “What is a covert mobile phone checkpoint?”
Gardaí present in court explained that it generally involved an officer pulled in on the side of the street, possibly in an unmarked car.
A fixed-charge notice was issued but went unpaid, and Judge Carthy imposed a fine of €250 on Mr Chiricuta with 90 days to pay.
