A disqualified driver who handed gardai a fake licence after an altercation in Tallaght has been fined €500.
Luka Mikaidze (33), of Westbeach, Cobh, Cork, pleaded guilty at Tallaght District Court to using a false driving licence contrary to Section 26 of the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act 2001.
The court heard that gardaí were called to an altercation between a man and a woman beside a black BMW on High Street, Tallaght, Dublin 24, on 16 July last.
When officers arrived and asked Mikaidze for his driving licence, they saw it was in a different name. He immediately admitted it was false.
Mikaidze was arrested at 5.15pm and later charged at Tallaght Garda Station by Garda Damien Reilly.
The court heard that Mikaidze was disqualified from driving at the time, having received a four-year ban at Cork Circuit Court in December 2023. Mikaidze has eight previous convictions, including road-traffic matters and a theft offence.
Defence counsel, Sean Egan BL, said Mikaidze “owned up immediately”, was very apologetic and had not tried to mislead Gardaí. His partner attended court to support him.
Judge Áine Clancy convicted him, fined him €500 and allowed 12 months to pay.