The President of the District Court, Judge Peter Smithwick, has said that Romanian beggars at road junctions in Dublin were becoming "increasingly irritating and obstructive".
He imposed a fine of £75 on Claudia Radu (22), Sundale Road, Tallaght, for interfering with traffic at the Templeogue Road junction with Templeogue Bridge on May 12th. The fine was handed down in her absence at Dublin District Court.
Garda Sean McCallion told the court she was begging from motorists stopped at the traffic lights. Just over a week ago she was sentenced to a month's imprisonment in her absence for a similar offence on April 15th.