Couple claimed garage owned cars they were driving

March 24, 2020

A LITHUANIAN couple stopped driving without insurance in separate cars and on separate occasions claimed the vehicles were on loan from a garage.

Ms Akvile Barkauskas (31) of Ard na Dun Close, Buncrana, was before the court charged with parking in a disabled bay on the town’s main street and failing to produce insurance and a driving licence on August 20, 2019. She was also charged with driving without insurance on January 8, 2019.

Representing herself, Barkauskas apologised to Judge Paul Kelly saying “I’ll never park there again”.

She added that she did not pay the fine as she ‘lost the letter’ and that the car she was driving belonged to a local garage and that her own car was in for repair at the time.

She said she had insurance cover on her own car and had a driving licence, but had misplaced it while on holiday in Lithuania.

Garda Inspector Siobhan Mollohan confirmed that Gardai had a record of a licence in Ms Barkauskas’ name.

In relation to the charge of driving without insurance on January 8, 2019, Ms Barkauskas claimed her car had again been in for repair and she had been given another car to drive by the garage owner.

Judge Kelly proceeded to strike out the charge of having no licence on August 20, and said he would deal with the illegal disabled bay parking at the next hearing.

Judge Kelly adjourned the case to the May 14 sitting of the court to allow her to get proof from the garage that the cars she was driving were insured.

A short-time later her husband, Mr Mantas Barkauskas, appeared before the same court charged with driving another car without insurance or a licence at Ardaravan, Buncrana, on January 28 last year.

He also claimed the car was on loan from a garage while his own was in for repair and that he had insurance cover for his own vehicle.

A bemused Judge Kelly said he would adjourn the case to the May sitting of the court and told Mr Barkauskas to produce evidence from the garage that the car was insured.

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