Court imposes penalty points on 37 motorists

Thirty-seven motorists were fined in Dublin District Court today for speeding under new legislation introduced under the penalty…

Thirty-seven motorists were fined in Dublin District Court today for speeding under new legislation introduced under the penalty points system.

They also had four penalty points imposed on each of their driving licences.

Three others who challenged the prosecutions had their cases dismissed after a judge accepted they had paid or attempted to pay the original on-the-spot fines they were issued with and which only attract two points. A small number of other cases were adjourned.

They were the first of 40 cases to come before District Court president Judge Peter Smithwick who heard that all had been clocked speeding in mainly 30 mph and 40 mph zones of the city.

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They were initially issued with €80 euro fixed-penalty notices and had they paid in time they were have just got two points on their licences. They failed to pay and were issued with summonses which brought them before the court today.

Most pleaded guilty and said they had either forgotten about the notice they received or were under personal pressures which led to them being overlooked. The court heard failure to pay within 28 days meant the fine was increased to €120 euro and failure to pay after that led to today's prosecutions.

A small number of people who did not appear in court were fined between €175 and €250. The penalty points will go on to their licences automatically and will appear next time they have to renew the documents.

Several hundred similar cases will be heard before the Dublin District Court this summer.