Cork driver accused of tailgating on approach to checkpoint has case dismissed
Court heard defendant did not pay the fixed charged penalty notice issued by garda because he did not believe he had committed an offence. Picture: Larry Cummins
A case of alleged tailgating against a Cork motorist who overtook another car by a Garda checkpoint has been dismissed in the district court.
Sergeant Trish O’Sullivan told the court the alleged incident occurred in Coachford, Co Cork, in June 2025.
Giving evidence Garda Grace O’Sullivan told the court she was conducting a checkpoint at the grotto in Coachford at 2.38pm.
The court was told she saw a car approaching being closely followed by a grey BYD electric car. Garda O’Sullivan said in her opinion the BYD was tailgating the car in front of it. The court heard as the two vehicles approached the checkpoint, the BYD overtook the other car “at speed”.
Garda O’Sullivan said she was clearly visible to passing motorists and the checkpoint was located in a built-up area in a 50 km/h zone and there were “a lot of pedestrians” in the area. Garda O’Sullivan signalled for the BYD to pull over and it did so.
She said she told the driver —Ryan Buckley, aged 29, of Mount Brosna, Mayfield, Cork — she was issuing him with a fixed charged penalty notice for driving without reasonable consideration because he was “travelling too close to the vehicle in front”.
The court heard Buckley did not pay the fine. The offence carries an €80 fine and two penalty points if the notice is paid within 28 days, increasing to €120 within 56 days.
Representing himself, Buckley said the vehicle in front of him “jammed on the brakes” and he had to swerve out to avoid it. He said when the garda signalled him to stop, he did so, but the other car did not.
Buckley said he was not informed “what the problem was” and was told he would be getting a fine in the post. He told the court he did not pay the notice because he did not believe he had committed an offence.
Sergeant O’Sullivan said Buckley would not have had to swerve out in the road if he was not travelling so close to the vehicle in front of him. Judge Joanne Carroll dismissed the case.
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