Judge hears man picked up mould poisoning from his car
Portlaoise Courthouse
A BARRISTER told last week’s sitting of Portlaoise District Court that his client, who was exposed to mould poising from his house and car, had not taxed his car because it had been lying up for a prolonged period.
Mark Fowler, Coole, Ballyragget, Co Kilkenny was summoned before the court for having no tax, no L-plates displayed and being an unaccompanied learner driver when he was stopped by gardaí on the N77 in Tonduff, Abbeyleix on 29 October last.
Garda Stephen O’Hanlon said that Mr Fowler’s car tax had been out for 276 days when he was stopped.
Defending barrister Andrew Dunne said that his 33-year-old client back-taxed the car two days after he was stopped by Garda O’Hanlon.
Mr Dunne said that his client’s car “had been lying up for an extended period of time. When he went to get the car, it was filled with mould. He has serious medical conditions as well as mould poising that he picked up from his house and from his car”.
Judge Susan Fay convicted Mr Fowler of driving without tax and fined him €150. She also imposed a €300 fine for driving unaccompanied without a full licence holder and a further €350 for non-display of L-plates.
