Insurance did not kick in for ten minutes, Carlow Court heard
Carlow Courthouse Photo: Michael O'Rourke
A WOMAN had bought a car, paid for the insurance and was only ten minutes away from being legally on the road, but when gardaí stopped Leah Kavanagh shortly before midnight, the policy had not yet kicked in.
Ms Kavanagh (32) Gilbertstown, Rathoe, pleaded guilty to driving without insurance when she appeared before Judge Andrew Gubbins at Carlow District Court last week.
The court heard that on 17 February 2025 at 11.50pm, the defendant was stopped by gardaí in Carlow and was found to have no insurance. The vehicle was seized.
Ms Kavanagh has one previous conviction under the .
Defending barrister Eamonn O’Moore asked the court to apply its discretion in the case.
In mitigation, Mr O’Moore told the court that on the date in question, she had just purchased the car and did not yet have insurance. She had contacted An Post and paid for a policy, but it appeared it had been set up to start the following day.
“Had she been stopped ten minutes later, she would have been insured,” said Mr O’Moore. “She accepts she was uninsured but was driving the car.” He added: “I believe she did tell the garda that she had just purchased the car but that insurance had not taken effect until midnight, within ten minutes of the offence.” Judge Gubbins said: “I will certainly exercise my discretion.” He convicted Ms Kavanagh and fined her €200, to be paid within 12 months.
