Limerick motorist avoids ban after driving through stop sign and causing crash at junction

A COUNTY Limerick man has avoided being banned from the roads after he failed to stop at a stop sign and caused an accident.

John Hannafin, aged 45, of Ballykealy, Athea, appeared before Newcastle West Court having been charged with dangerous driving under Section 53 of the Road Traffic Act.

Inspector Barry Manton told the court that on May 13, Mr Hannafin drove straight past a stop sign at Glenagore, Athea  and caused a two-vehicle collision.

While Mr Hannafin did not plead guilty to the offence with which he was charged, he did plead guilty to the lesser charge of careless driving under Section 52 of the Road Traffic Act.

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Solicitor Kate Cussen, representing the accused, said her client did not see the stop sign as it was “more than partially obscured” and it was “an extremely sunny day”.

She also asked the court to note that there were no serious injuries as a result of the accident and that her client was fully insured.

Ms Cussen said that Mr Hannafin was a full-time labourer and that his driving licence is very important to that work.

She added that her client was already at a loss due to damage caused to his own vehicle.

The court also heard that Mr Hannafin was in contact with his insurance company with regards the damage caused to the other vehicle involved in the accident.

He has eight previous convictions, including one for dangerous driving and one for drink driving - dating back to 2014.

Most recently, Mr Hannafin was handed a suspended prison sentence at Waterford District Court for a Section 15 drugs offence.

Had he been found guilty of dangerous driving, Mr Hannafin would have faced a mandatory driving ban of four years.

Instead, Judge Carol Anne Coolican formally convicted Mr Hannafin of careless driving. She imposed a €400 fine and gave him 12 months to pay.

While not a matter for the court, the defendant will receive penalty points on his licence, as a consequence of his conviction.