Judge dismisses court case over APCOA car clamp row in Limerick estate
Evidence given by an APCOA parking officer was not accepted by a judge in court
A MAN has successfully contested a charge of criminal damage for removing a clamp.
Des Hayes, 56, with a home address at Alandale Orchard, Ashbourne Avenue, County Limerick, was accused of removing a clamp from his car at his address on March 3, 2025.
A parking officer who works with APCOA parking took to the witness stand to give evidence at a hearing that took place at Limerick District Court.
The parking officer claimed that he clamped Mr Hayes' car, and that when he later visited the estate, he observed that the clamp was removed.
The witness said to remove a clamp, a padlock and a key is required from APCOA.
Otherwise, the witness said, only a bolt may remove a clamp.
He further detailed that the cost of a clamp itself is €150, and the fee to remove a clamp is €125.
The parking officer said that he suspected that Mr Hayes’ vehicle’s permit was not genuine or in date, so he clamped the car.
“Expired permit, or no permit, I can’t remember,” the witness said.
The parking officer did not bring photographic evidence of Mr Hayes’ parking permit to court.
When he later noticed Mr Hayes’ car without a clamp, he made a report of criminal damage to the gardaí.
The witness said that Mr Hayes filmed him every time he went to the estate.
Mr Hayes chose to represent himself in court, despite Judge Eamonn Carroll warning him at the beginning of proceedings that the alleged charge was “significant”.
Mr Hayes denied that he did not have a valid parking permit for his car.
Judge Eamonn Carroll told the parking officer: “The vehicle you clamped had a permit.”
The judge stated “There’s no evidence before the court that the permit was not valid,” and dismissed the case against Mr Hayes.
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