A district court judge heard yesterday how a Catholic priest telephoned the gardaí in Monaghan to make a complaint about an erring driver who overtook another vehicle on the wrong side of the main Dublin/Derry Road .
Bryan Doherty, (22), of Sutton Gardens, Derry, was fined €150 on a reduced charge of careless driving when he pleaded guilty to the offence at Carrickmacross court.
Garda Oliver Flaherty told the court that as a result of a complaint received from a local priest, Fr Michael Jordan, who had observed the accused pass another car on the inside, Mr Doherty was stopped while on his way to the Oxegen Festival at Punchestown last Friday, and was detained.
Defence lawyer Mr Gerry Jones said the accused was driving behind friends in another vehicle and had wanted to stay close behind them on the journey south because he was not familiar with the route to Punchestown.
"He overtook on the wrong side in order that he would not lose the vehicle which was travelling in front, but has since realised this was a wrong act and a very stupid thing for him to have done," the lawyer said.
The court heard that Mr Doherty, a mechanic by trade, was very apologetic and co-operative with the gardaí when he was stopped in Carrickmacross after the incident on the straight stretch of the N2 Dublin/Derry Road at Donaghmoyne.
Insp Jim Marks, Carrickmacross, prosecuting, said the accused had been released from custody on €200 bail.
Judge Flann Brennan reduced the charge from dangerous driving to careless driving and imposed a fine of €150 euro.