Jim Mansfield jnr fails to get part of five-year driving ban lifted

Businessman Jim Mansfield jnr has failed in his legal bid to get his driving licence restored.

Mansfield, who was given a five-year driving ban in 2011, needed his licence to help care for his elderly mother and to run his businesses, Dublin District Court was told.

But Judge Aeneas McCarthy refused after hearing Garda objections. This means Mansfield (48) will have to stay off the road until his driving ban runs its course and expires in July next year.

Half-way through a period of disqualification, a banned driver is entitled to make an application to the District Court to consider restoring their licence.

Garda George Thurlow, from the Traffic Corps based in Dublin Castle, opposed Mansfield's attempt.

Mansfield - son of late hotelier, businessman and airport owner Jim Mansfield snr - had been given the five-year ban after he was caught driving without insurance on November 26th, 2010.

Driving disqualification

At the time he was stopped he was already subject to a driving disqualification imposed by a court in October 2010 but he had had not surrendered his licence, Garda Thurlow said.

Mansfield had also told the garda he was not disqualified, but the officer found out this was untrue when he checked with the “driving licence authority”.

“Then I discovered he was disqualified,” Garda Thurlow said.

Explaining why the case has been before the court on three dates, he said Mansfield gave a 1967 date of birth when he was stopped.

However, the driving licence authority said no one with that birth date and name has ever held a driving licence.

His birth certificate was checked and showed he was born on the same date but in 1966.

Garda Thurlow said licences Mansfield had, “for the last 20 years, had incorrect dates of birth”.

Previous convictions

Garda Thurlow said Mansfield had two previous convictions for drink-driving.

Mansfield was present in court. His solicitor Tony Hughes pleaded on his behalf for his licence to be restored.

Mr Hughes argued the court had discretion and could consider a number of issues.

He said Mansfield is a well-known businessman with extensive interests in Ireland, had not been in trouble since getting the driving ban and he has taken over the family business from his father.

“He is living with his elderly mother and is caring for her,” Mr Hughes said. “To restore the licence would be a great benefit in terms of the business and his elderly mother,” the solicitor said, adding his client is more than three years into the disqualification period.

However, Judge McCarthy refused on the grounds that Mansfield had been driving while already disqualified.