A single Armagh mother-of-five just didn’t have the money to pay for insurance following a long drawn-out custody battle with her partner, a court has heard.
The 43-year woman appeared before Magistrates’ in the city on Tuesday after she was stopped by police on Drumbreda Walk in Armagh on July 10.
She was found to be driving without insurance.
It was ascertained by District Judge Paul Copeland that the defendant had no points on her current licence and only one previous conviction, which had long passed.
The defence counsel explained that the woman had been involved in a long custody battle over her children, which resulted in her cancelling an insurance policy for Toyota.
The court also heard that the defendant no longer owned a vehicle, as she was unemployed, and had problems receiving child maintenance money from the children’s father.
Judge Copeland stated that due to the defendant’s “financial and domestic” issues the penalty would be less severe.
The defendant was ordered to pay a fine of £200, along with a £15 offenders levy. She was given 20 weeks to pay.
