Father banned from driving for not strapping in children

Dad banned from driving for not strapping in kids


Baby and toddler not restrained

A FATHER was disqualified from driving for one year after he failed to restrain two of his infant children, including a six-month-old baby, while driving his car.
John Cleary of Lough Mask Road, Ballinrobe, was told by Judge Mary Devins that she was disqualifying him from driving because it was the only way to get the message across that children’s lives were precious.
Garda Aidan Connaughton told Castlebar District Court that on March 13, 2014, he stopped Mr Cleary while he was driving at the Cornmarket, Ballinrobe. In the rear of the car were his three children aged three, two and six months. Garda Connaughton said that only the two year old was restrained.
He explained that the six-month-old baby was in a Moses basket but was not strapped in  while the three year old was standing on the back seat. The court heard that Mr Cleary and his wife were in the front seat and that both were wearing their seat belts.
“You took time to belt yourself in but you did not take time to belt your three tiny children in. If you had braked suddenly, two would have their necks broken while you and your wife would have walked away safety,” Judge Devins told Mr Cleary.
Mr Cleary told the court that he was moving house for the third time in a month and the court heard he was under pressure at the time.
As well as disqualifying Mr Cleary from driving, Judge Devins also fined him €100. Mr Cleary pleaded with Judge Devins to reconsider the driving ban but said she would not.