Latest news with #RoadTrafficAct
Scotsman
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
Susan isn't sitting on the fence over support for Palestinians- Vladimir McTavish
Susam Riddell at the Hot Water Comedy Club With only a week to go until the start of this year's Fringe, there is no such thing as bad publicity. Comedians will do anything for a few column inches at this time of year. However, nobody has ever planned to find themselves up in court on a terrorism charge. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... But that is what happened to a friend of mine, Glaswegian stand-up Susan Riddell on Monday. Last weekend, along with two others, she allegedly drove a van into the fence of arms manufacturer Leonardo in North Edinburgh, in protest against Israeli atrocities in Gaza. The company, formerly BAE Systems, has been alleged to be supplying weapons to the Israeli Defence Force. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Susan has been charged with malicious mischief and contravening the Road Traffic Act. However, as this could be interpreted as supporting Palestine Action, she is also charged under the UK Government's draconian Prevention of Terrorism Act. Photographs of the incident are on the BBC News website. The van has crashed into the perimeter fence of the Leonardo complex from the next door car park at Morrison's on Ferry Road. One panel of the fence has been slightly dislodged. We all remember the images of the bodged attack on Glasgow Airport from 2007. A car rammed into the front of the terminal building at high speed and burst into flames, engulfing the driver in fire, only for the guy to be dragged out of the inferno and given a sound kicking. That was a terrorist incident. Susan's incident took place next the Click & Collect pick-up point. I'd be willing to bet more damage has been done to that fence by careless drivers. This is not so much taking a sledgehammer to break a nut as taking a pneumatic drill to open a pistachio. Riddell has now had to cancel her Fringe show, due to her bail conditions preventing her from entering Edinburgh. Did the judge think she was planning on driving into another fence? In Edinburgh during the festival, where hour-long traffic jams are the norm? She may have had to cancel her 2025 Fringe, but Susan Riddell has one hell of a story to tell next year. That show has already written itself. Personally, I will drive through a fence to see it.
Sunday World
6 days ago
- Sunday World
Former TD banned from driving after refusing to provide urine sample after crash
Colm Keaveney (54) appeared before Judge Sandra Murphy at Carrick-on-Shannon District Court Ex Fianna Fáil TD Colm Keaveney banned from driving for four years after refusing to give a blood or urine sample following a late-night collision last year Former TD Colm Keaveney has been banned from driving for four years after refusing to give a blood or urine sample following a late-night collision in Co Roscommon last year. Keaveney (54), of Kilcreevanty, Tuam, Co Galway, appeared before Judge Sandra Murphy at Carrick-on-Shannon District Court on Tuesday. He pleaded guilty to two offences including failing to stop at the scene of an accident and refusing to provide a blood or urine sample following his arrest. All offences related to an incident where Keaveney drove on the wrong side of the road, without his headlights, and collided with another car, in Co Roscommon last October. He had been charged with dangerous driving, driving with no insurance and failure to produce his driving licence, but all three charges were struck out. Keaveney was initially elected as a TD for the Labour Party for Galway East in 2011. He subsequently joined Fianna Fáil. Colm Keaveney He was most recently a councillor on Galway County Council, but did not stand for last year's local elections. Inspector Gerry Curley told Judge Murphy that Keaveney had been observed by Garda Colm Dowd driving a Ford Focus on Bridge Street, Boyle, Co Roscommon, on October 11 last year. The court was told the car was on the wrong side of the road, with no lights on, and collided with a Kia Ceed. Inspector Curley said Gda Dowd observed the Ford Focus failing to stop after colliding with the Kia and continuing a distance along the street before pulling over. 'Very apologetic' for the incident. The court heard that when Keaveney got out of the car, Gda Dowd noted he was 'glassy-eyed' and there was 'a strong smell of alcohol'. Keaveney was arrested and brought to Carrick-on-Shannon garda station, where a nurse attended after 11pm to take a blood sample. Keaveney declined to allow the nurse take a blood sample or to voluntarily provide a urine sample. Judge Murphy was told Keaveney had opted to plead guilty to refusing to provide a sample, contrary to section 12 of the Road Traffic Act. He also pleaded guilty to failing to stop, having collided and caused damage to another vehicle during the same incident, contrary to Section 106 of the Road Traffic Act. Solicitor Martina Moran, of Gearoid Geraghty Solicitors in Galway, told Judge Murphy that her client was 'very apologetic' for the incident. Judge Sandra Murphy She said Keaveney was a 55-year-old self-employed man who, at the time of the offences, had been on heavy medication following spinal surgery. She told Judge Murphy that her client scratched against the other vehicle and did not immediately stop because he was looking for a safe place to pull in. He is very apologetic and understands it was a serious matter 'It wasn't the case he was trying to evade gardaí,' Ms Moran said. At the time of the incident, Keaveney had lost two parents in quick succession and had been a carer for both. The court was told he has no previous convictions. Colm Keaveney. Photo: Tom Burke Ms Moran handed in a medical report detailing Keaveney's back injury, and Judge Murphy asked was it the suggestion that his back problems interfered with his driving during the episode. 'No, it is in the past, but it is a recurring problem,' Ms Moran said. 'He is very apologetic and understands it was a serious matter.' Judge Murphy noted there was 'a difficult background' with the case, and said Keaveney was 'not a person commonly before the courts'. She disqualified Keaveney from driving for four years on the refusal to provide a sample, and also fined him €250. The other offence pleaded to was taken into consideration.
RTÉ News
7 days ago
- RTÉ News
Former TD Colm Keaveney banned from driving for four years
Former TD Colm Keaveney has been banned from driving for four years after refusing to provide a blood or urine sample to gardaí following a late-night road incident in Boyle, Co Roscommon. The former Labour TD for Galway East, who later joined Fianna Fáil, lost his Dáil seat in 2016 but returned to politics in 2019 when he was elected to Galway County Council. Mr Keaveney (54), of Milltown Road, Tuam, Co Galway, appeared before Judge Sandra Murphy at Carrick-on-Shannon District Court on 22 July, where he pleaded guilty to two charges: failing to provide a specimen under Section 12 of the Road Traffic Act, and failing to stop after a collision under Section 106. The incident occurred on 11 October last year when gardaí observed a Ford Focus being driven without lights through Boyle. The car veered to the wrong side of the road before colliding with a white vehicle that was waiting at a junction. The State solicitor told the court that the driver, identified as Mr Keaveney, did not stop after the collision and continued driving before eventually pulling over on St Patrick Street. When approached by gardaí, the court heard Mr Keaveney was unsteady on his feet, had glassy eyes, and smelled of alcohol. He was arrested and taken to Carrick-on-Shannon Garda Station, where he refused to provide a blood or urine sample to a designated doctor, despite a formal demand. His solicitor told the court that Mr Keaveney had no previous convictions and had been dealing with significant personal difficulties, including the recent loss of both parents. He also suffered from chronic back pain due to previous spinal surgery and had requested to see his own doctor at the garda station, which was not possible. He has three children, two adult and one infant. "Mr Keaveney is not the sort of person you would expect to see before the court," she said, noting his cooperation and the absence of any previous convictions. Judge Murphy imposed a €250 fine and a four-year disqualification from driving. Several other charges, including no insurance and no licence, were struck out after valid documentation was provided. Mr Keaveney was charged on 11 June 2024 with driving under the influence of drugs, relating to an alleged incident on 12 June, 2023.
BreakingNews.ie
7 days ago
- Politics
- BreakingNews.ie
Former TD Colm Keaveney banned from driving for four years
Former Labour and Fianna Fáil TD Colm Keaveney has been banned from driving for four years after refusing to provide a blood or urine sample to gardaí following a late-night incident in Boyle, Co Roscommon. Keaveney (54), of Milltown Road, Tuam, Co Galway pleaded guilty to failing to provide a specimen under Section 12 of the Road Traffic Act and failing to stop after a collision. Advertisement Appearing before Carrick-on-Shannon District Court on Tuesday, Judge Sandra Murphy imposed a €250 fine and a four-year disqualification from driving. Other charges, including no insurance and no licence, were struck out after he produced valid documents. The incident occurred on October 11th, 2024, when gardaí observed a Ford Focus being driven without lights through Boyle. The vehicle veered across the road and collided with a car waiting at a junction, but did not stop. When approached, Keaveney appeared intoxicated, was unsteady on his feet, had glassy eyes, and smelled of alcohol. Advertisement He was arrested and brought to Carrick-on-Shannon Garda Station, where he refused to provide a blood or urine sample to a designated doctor despite a formal demand. His solicitor said Keaveney had been under significant personal strain, including the recent deaths of both parents and ongoing chronic pain from spinal surgery. She said he had no previous criminal convictions and had asked to see his own doctor at the station, which was not possible. A long-time figure in politics, Keaveney was elected to the Dáil in 2011 as a Labour TD for Galway East. He lost the party whip in 2012 over a vote of conscience on a Government plan to cut an annual care grant as part of the 2013 budget and later joined Fianna Fáil, becoming the first sitting TD to cross directly between the two parties. He lost his Dáil seat in 2016 and later served one term on Galway County Council.
Irish Times
7 days ago
- Politics
- Irish Times
Former TD Colm Keaveney banned from driving for four years for refusing to provide sample to Garda
Former Labour and Fianna Fáil TD Colm Keaveney has been banned from driving for four years after refusing to provide a blood or urine sample to gardaí following a late-night incident in Boyle, Co Roscommon. Keaveney (54), of Milltown Road, Tuam, Co Galway appeared before Judge Sandra Murphy at Carrick-on-Shannon District Court on Tuesday. He pleaded guilty to two offences: failing to provide a specimen under Section 12 of the Road Traffic Act and failing to stop after a collision. The incident occurred on October 11th, 2024, when gardaí observed a Ford Focus being driven without lights through Boyle. READ MORE The vehicle veered across the road and collided with a car waiting at a junction, but did not stop. It was later pulled over on St Patrick Street. When approached, Keaveney appeared intoxicated, was unsteady on his feet, had glassy eyes, and smelled of alcohol. He was arrested and brought to Carrick-on-Shannon Garda Station, where he refused to provide a blood or urine sample to a designated doctor despite a formal demand. His solicitor said Keaveney had been under significant personal strain, including the recent deaths of both parents and ongoing chronic pain from spinal surgery. She said he had no previous criminal convictions and had asked to see his own doctor at the station, which was not possible. He is a father of three, including an infant. 'Mr Keaveney is not the sort of person you expect to see before the court,' she said, citing his background and cooperation. Judge Murphy imposed a €250 fine and a four-year disqualification from driving. Other charges, including no insurance and no licence, were struck out after he produced valid documents. A long-time figure in politics, Keaveney began his political career on Tuam Town Council in 1999 and was elected to the Dáil in 2011 as a Labour TD for Galway East. He lost the party whip in 2012 over a vote of conscience on a Government plan to cut to an annual care grant as part of the 2013 budget and later joined Fianna Fáil, becoming the first sitting TD to cross directly between the two parties. He lost his Dáil seat in 2016 and later served one term on Galway County Council.
