Criminal accused of illegally parking car whilst he was in prison

A CRIMINAL was formally charged with parking a car in an “illegal fashion” while he was serving time in prison.

Gary Quinlivan, 35, is currently residing in Limerick Prison following a conviction for city burglaries in Limerick Circuit Court.

The man was given a reprieve from his cell and brought before Limerick District Court to explain to Judge Patricia Harney why a Volkswagen car registered in his name was parked illegally on a footpath in the Oaks, Newcastle, Limerick.

Mr Quinlivan, giving evidence, said he “was probably in prison” at the time of the offence on June 15, 2025, and that it was therefore impossible for him to have committed the crime.

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The judge, seeking clarification, asked the man whether he was in prison or not on June 15.

Following some prompting from his solicitor, John Herbert, Mr Quinlivan remembered that he was indeed in prison on the date of the crime.

Judge Patricia Harney replied “I imagine it’s hard to keep up with dates with your history”.

The man also declared that he had never owned a Volkswagen, and detailed that he had no idea who would register a car in his name.

Mr Quinlivian has over 112 previous convictions. When he was last brought before the circuit court in December, Judge Colin Daly called the man a “recidivist”.

Judge Harney dismissed the case and said “there’ll have to be an investigation” by gardaí into who was driving the car.

Mr Quinlivan thanked the judge and went back into custody.

-Funded by the Court Reporting Scheme