Man brought Christmas presents to daughter in bin liners after car seized in West Cork

An English man who was visiting family in Ireland for Christmas had to take the bus carrying Christmas presents in bin liners when the car he was driving was seized by gardaí the day before Christmas Eve, the district court has heard.

Sergeant Eimear O’Connell told Bandon District Court that John David Mount, aged 38, of Peckforton Drive, Great Sutton, Ellesmere Port, England, was stopped by gardaí at Irishtown, Bandon, at 1.15pm on December 23. 

The court heard the vehicle Mount was driving did not have valid insurance.

Mount told the court he had his passport with him, but was brought to Bandon Garda Station so his identity could be verified, which took about an hour. 

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The court heard Mount, who had no previous convictions, was not aware that the insurance had lapsed on the vehicle due to a missed direct debit a few days previously.

The court was told the vehicle was confiscated and Mount had to remove Christmas presents he was bringing to his daughter’s house and take them instead in bin liners. He then had to catch two buses to Fermoy and Lismore.

Defence solicitor Plunkett Taaffe said it was an oversight on his client’s behalf, who would not make the same mistake again, given the inconvenience it caused him. Judge Joanne Carroll struck out the prosecution.

• This article is funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme