Limerick student fined for reversing into car at 'chaotic' shopping centre 

A PSYCHOLOGY student who reversed into another car in the car park of a busy shopping centre two days before Christmas was fined €400 after she was convicted of careless driving.

Aishling Browne, aged 22, who has an address at Martinstown, Kilmallock was also fined €300 for failing to provide information relating to the incident.

Judge Marian O’Leary was told the accident happened at the Crescent Shopping Centre, Dooradoyle on December 23, 2016.

Inspector Padraig Byrnes told Limerick District Court the car park was “very busy” on the day and that the collision happened as Ms Browne was attempting to find a space to park in.

When the driver of the second car, he said, approached the defendant she gave her a false name and address.

However, the woman noted the registration details of the car which resulted in Ms Browne being identified by gardai.

Insp Byrnes said “no visible damage” was caused to either car and that there were no injuries as a result of the collision.

Solicitor Darach McCarthy said his client, who has no previous convictions, had panicked on the day and had “let herself down very badly”.

He said she now realises that she had nothing to gain by giving a false name and address as the car she was driving was registered in her name.

“She found herself in a situation which she had never been in before,” he said adding that his client has had “ample time to reflect” since the incident.

 Urging the judge not to disqualify his client given the circumstances of the incident, Mr McCarthy urged her to note the date of the offence.

“I know from personal experience it (the car park) is chaotic at that time of the year, spaces are like hen’s teeth,” he said adding that his client had reversed in order to manoueve into a space she had spotted.

The solicitor added that his client’s chosen course at the University of Limerick had “given her some insight” into to actions in the immediate aftermath of the collision.

After formally convicting Ms Browne of careless driving, Judge O’Leary indicated she would excercise her discretion and would not impose a driving ban.

Fines totalling €700 were imposed and five penalty points will also be applied to her driver’s licence.