A MOTORIST has received a three-month suspended sentence for driving with a fake driving licence, which he bought by answering an ad on Facebook.
Claudio Rodrigues Pereira of 1 Allen Court, Emmet Row, Bandon pleaded guilty at Bandon District Court to using a false instrument as well as driving without a valid driving licence.
Sgt Eimear O’Connell told Judge William Aylmer that on October 18th last, gardaí in Bandon were operating a MIT (Mandatory Intoxication Testing) checkpoint in the Kilbrogan area when they came across the accused.
‘The accused presented a Portuguese driving licence to Sgt Newman which didn’t appear to be genuine as it had no hologram,’ said Sgt O’Connell.
‘He seized the driving licence and took a voluntary caution memo from Mr Pereira who admitted he paid for it from answering a Facebook ad. He also admitted he had not completed a driving test.’
The court heard that the fake driving licence was sent to Forensic Science Ireland to be checked, who later confirmed that it was not genuine.The court heard that he has two previous convictions includeing one for a similar offence at Bandon District Court on March 15th last.
Defence solicitor Plunkett Taaffe said his client, who is originally from Brazil, works in the local meat factory.
‘He saw an ad on Facebook offering a service to transfer Brazilian driving licences to Portuguese. He was at best careless and reckless,’ said Mr Taaffe.
He said his client has applied for an Irish driving licence and is now waiting for a slot to sit his test.
Judge Aylmer convicted and sentenced him to three months on the charge of using a false instrument but suspended it for 24 months, while he convicted and fined him €300 for driving without a valid driving licence, giving him three months to pay the fine.
Recognisances in the event of an appeal were fixed in the defendant’s own bond of €100.
