Judge in Carlow District Court changes mind and gives defendant a break
The speed camera will be located near the notorious Leagh Bends
IN one of a slew of Graiguenaspiddoge speeding offences before Carlow District Court on Wednesday 11 March, a man who represented himself came before Judge Geraldine Carthy for three speeding offences. His car was clocked travelling at 111kph and 115kph on the same day, 30 August 2025, and was again clocked at 111kph the next day in a 100kph zone at the fixed speed camera in the area.
A fixed-charge notice was issued, but the defendant, who had travelled to court from Dublin, said he never received it.
“I’m not going to stand here and say it wasn’t me – and I got the summons – but I didn’t realise there was an option to pay the fine on page two of the summons notice,” he said, noting that he learned about this from the previous cases before the court that morning, where others had made the same mistake.
Judge Carthy said: “I’m going to be fair to you; I’m going to strike out two and convict on one.”
The man replied: “I don’t know that stretch of road, to be honest – I live in Dublin. All I can say is I’m very sorry.”
“Just be careful,” said the judge, who issued him a €101 fine to be paid within 90 days.
He was asked to produce his licence in court and said that he only had a scan of it on his phone because his wallet had recently been stolen while he was on a night out.
“You’re having a time of it,” said Judge Carthy in sympathy.
The judge then had a change of heart: “You know what – I’m going to strike out all of them.”
There was plenty of good-natured laughter from solicitors present and the Dublin man left looking relieved and thankful, with no fine and no penalty points on his licence.
