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IRELAND’S GOT TALENT judge Jason Byrne has avoided a driving ban after he pleaded guilty to driving without insurance and driving without a driving licence.
The stand-up comedian, who was a disqualified driver on the day he was stopped by gardaí as he had accumulated 13 penalty points for speeding offences, only drove as he was in “severe difficulty” to collect his nine-year-old son from school.
He said he was afraid his son would walk home on a dangerous rural road after his wife could not pick the child up.
Swords District Court heard on the day he was stopped by the Garda Traffic Unit at a checkpoint in the village he lives in, he admitted to the garda he had no driving licence and no insurance as he had 13 penalty points, meaning he was automatically banned from driving.
On hearing that Byrne had informed the garda he had penalty points, Judge Brian O’Shea said he was impressed with his roadside honesty.
“I am part impressed by his honesty at the roadside,” said Judge O’Shea.
“There is significant weight to the honesty in that.”
Byrne (45), with an address at Oldtown, County Dublin pleaded guilty at Swords District Court to driving without insurance and driving without a driving licence on 13 June on the R122 near his home in Oldtown village
Byrne’s defence barrister Patrick Jackson said the comedian “took a chance” on the day.
“His nine year old son was at primary school in a rural area and the defendant’s wife was due to collect their son,” explained Mr Jackson.
“However, there was a significant succession of unfortunate events as he couldn’t get in contact with his wife. He also tried unsuccessfully to get in contact with a neighbour to collect his son. He was afraid his son may have tried to walk home on a dangerous rural road. He made a decision to drive and took a chance.”
Unsafe
The prosecuting garda agreed with Mr Jackson that the road “wouldn’t be a safe road” for walking on.
When Judge O’Shea asked if any of the 13 penalty points Byrne had accrued for speeding offences had expired, Byrne replied “tomorrow” and that his licence is due to be returned to him then.
“There is some degree of recklessness of the general adherence of road traffic laws and it seems to me you had a relatively benign view of road traffic matters. You were was a disqualified driver but you did declare that to the garda,” remarked Judge O’Shea.
Judge O’Shea said he has significant concerns of Byrne’s ongoing speeding incidents – which date from 2009, 2014 and 2016.
“You are going to have to declare to your insurance company you were driving without insurance on that day. If you were involved in an incident you’d have no insurance and the reason we all have to pay higher premiums is to fund people like you who drive without insurance. Those are my concerns,” said Judge O’Shea.
Addressing the court, Byrne apologised for his actions.
“I shouldn’t have done it and I have never done it before and I won’t do it again.”
Taking Byrne’s word that he won’t drive again without insurance, Judge O’Shea said he won’t impose a disqualification as the defendant has no previous convictions for similar.
When he imposed a €500 fine for having no insurance, Byrne asked if he could pay the money to Temple Street Children’s Hospital, which the judge agreed to allow him to do.
He took the charge of having no driving licence into consideration.
“It won’t undo your conviction and you now have a significant number of points again,” said Judge O’Shea and warned Byrne to “be very careful driving”.
Replying, Byrne quipped: “I will, I’ll drive in reverse.”
Speaking afterwards Byrne said: “It was a spur of the moment thing and I shouldn’t have driven. I was panicking about my son. I am glad I can give the money to Temple Street.
“If you break the law, you break the law and that’s it. The thing is that I was just unfortunate with the penalty points. No-one got hurt thankfully.”
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How many days a week does he ‘take that chance’? Comedy gold getting off with 500 squids fine.
The usual catch the hardened criminals on the school run checkpoints, Or women with kids in the car to you and me.
13 penalty points disqualfied and he gets away with a €500 fine???!! Is it any wonder things are the way they are.
Course he could have called a taxi!
If only you could pay someone with a car license and insurance to bring you a school, collect your child and bring you both home.
Taxi?
His real crime is against comedy!!.
Clearly never heard of this new invention called a taxi.
A crooked jugement
That’s not one bit funny. He has all the danger signs of another fatal collision on our roads. Young men and speed. He has a family and needs to grow up !
If you’re good in GAA or well known than the sentence is always lower than any unknown person.
Justice is a farce.
Its the biggest joke he was ever involved in!
Ya, agree roads to dangerous yo let your kid walk on, what with all the speeding uninsured and unlicensed drivers out there. Shame on him.
He’s an Ireland’s got talent judge ? Aren’t those judges usually b list UK celebs and Linda Martin ??
My insurance is over €500
Car tax €520 €500 is a joke
Ah Jason. The rest of us are trying hard to comply. Now get on and act your age. 15 is it.
At this stage I don’t think any school just opens the doors and let the kids in primary school go with out an adult! Could he not of phone the school to tell them the situation!!???
I know someone who now has to pay over €3000 because of an unpaid toll charge of €3.
Where’s the justice.
OMG that’s disgraceful. He’s not fit to have a pet.
Well I’m not amused by this at all. 13 penalty points deserves NEVER to drive again. He’s obviously dangerous and as for the lies he told bout his wife unable to collect the child – the book of evidence should be thrown at him as he s put in jail. A disgrace you are. If it was me , it’d be a very different stroke – again , typical Ireland , dishonest and shameful.
total boll-x, he should of been banned from drivein .
Should have done what newstalk breakfast presenter Paul Williams did, and ring he’s garda buddies to wipe all he’s penalty points. As did the irish independent boss steven rae.
The judge should have notified trading standards as well..
Irish comedy
Sure how can he drive anyway. Must have got the ‘wonky eye’ fixed.
This is not funny
How the hell is this idiot still on the road??!!. 13 points for speeding and driving without a licence and insurance.
This is a very serious driving offence possibly a jailing offence or certainly along time of the road !!How did he get away so lightly or is that an obvious question?
Jason byrne is a disgrace , he should be off the road for 10 years , and do prison time
@PaulOD:
And that’s for the quality of his “comedy.
The judge seems to have let him away with it because he told the truth to the guard. As if it was the perfect crime that they otherwise would never have solved. Incomprehensible that telling a relative “white” lie is deemed more worthy of punishment than continuously (despite multiple warnings by way of repeated penalty points) recklessly endangering the lives of other road users. Both Byrne and the judge are taking the p*ss out of the rest of us
The bottom line is he drove without a Licence and Insurance but how many times before he got caught I wonder what would happen to the ordinary man on the street would he be out of Jail yet typical Ireland one law for the rich and Fcuk the rest .
He’s back driving today !!! Disgraceful
Scandalous decision. Should have been fined several thousands of euro considering the slaughter if he were involved in an accident. Comedian? This is NO comedy. His insurance company should load him instead of the young people trying to get on the road.
While the do little (probably just as well) minister Shane Ross and The NRA are focused on the 50 ml issue etc there is a Hugh problem of Unaccompanied Learner Drivers on the roads. The insurance companies give out about uninsured drivers, yet they continue to insure these “law flouting” L drivers, thus bringing the law into disrepute. I Recon, that to spite their excuses, it’s all about not wanting to lose the large premiums that they collect from L driving and the increases they can screw out of the FEW that get checked and receive penalty points for driving alone.
A name !! Different laws for us !!
Never heard of taxis, has he?
And RING the school if you are going to be late….most normal clear thinking parents have a plan in place for such emergencies….get with the programme! I think you should donate some time serving the community!
How can you banned if you don’t hold a licence in the first place ? They cant take away a privilsge that you dont have in the first place !
This arrogant irresponsible “man” put others in possible danger!! BAD CALL JUDGE YOU SHOULD HAVE THROWN THE BOOK AT HIM….GET HIM OFF THE ROADS!
Dear TV3, I will not be watching Ireland’s Got Talent if that piece of shit is on it.
Moron judge
I was impressed with his honesty at the roadside”
He was DRIVING ILLEGALLY FFS
what honesty?
Disgraceful he should have been banned for at least 5 years and fined 5000. He told the truth now that’s a joke what choice did he have. Did he ever of a taxi??????? irresponsible little shit picking up a child in an uninsured car.
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