A young woman who was caught driving without a licence or insurance has had her case struck out after a judge described her father’s decision to allow her take a test run to deal with her driving anxiety as “ludicrous”.
Natasha Byrne (21), of Kylemore Drive, Ballyfermot, Dublin 10, was stopped by gardai at around 2pm on 23 August, 2023 on Robinhood Road, Walkinstown, Dublin 12.
The court heard she was driving the car but was unable to produce a valid licence or insurance and was asked to present the documents to Ballyfermot Garda Station. She later entered a guilty plea to driving without a license and insurance under the Road Traffic Act, 1961.
The court heard Ms Byrne was accompanied by her father at the time of the offence and has no previous convictions.
Her barrister explained that his client suffers from severe driving anxiety, which worsened after she was rear-ended in a collision. On the day in question, counsel said her father was “testing the waters” by letting her drive briefly to see “how she would get on”.
Judge Deirdre Gearty described the decision as “ludicrous” and struck out the case, saying it was the defendant’s father who should have been answering questions in court, not Ms Byrne.
The court heard that Ms Byrne has since obtained her learner permit but is not currently driving.