Driver banned for dangerous overtaking

A MAN who overtook a line of cars and forced a garda car to pull in to avoid a collision was disqualified from driving for two years.
Francis Lynn (45) of Funshinagh, Cross, Claremorris pleaded guilty to dangerous driving at last week’s sitting of Castlebar District Court.
Mr Lynn was detected overtaking a line of cars near a dip in the road while driving along the main Castlebar to Ballinrobe road outside Castlebar. The incident occurred on March 13, 2016 at 4.45pm when the traffic was heavy with Mayo supporters coming home from a match in Castlebar.
Garda Aiden Connaughton explained that he was driving towards Castlebar when he saw a red Jaguar XF coming towards him in the wrong carriageway. He said he had to pull in off the road to avoid a collision.
The blue lights of the garda car were activated but the car refused to stop and Garda Connaughton said he lost sight of him. He drove into Ballinrobe but turned back towards Castlebar when he noticed the car pull out of a side road.
Garda Connaughton said the car stopped and when he went to talk to the driver he put it to him that he would have got away with it if he had not turned back.
The driver replied that he had gone to visit his brother but later admitted he tried to avoid detection. Garda Connaughton said that Mr Lynn was co-operative and accepted to driving dangerously.
Mr Evan O’Dwyer, solicitor for Mr Lynn, said his client had been to the Mayo match and had been held up in a convoy of traffic. He said he lost his patience and decided to overtake the cars and accepted it was dangerous. He said his client who had no previous convictions, worked in Galway and the loss of his licence will have ramifications for him.
As well as disqualifying Mr Lynn for two years, Judge Mary Devins also fined him €300.