Clare TD’s partner to contest no insurance case as contest adjourned to January due to unavailability of Garda witness

*John Montaine. 

The partner of Clare TD, Violet Anne Wynne (IND), John Mountaine is to contest allegedly driving with no insurance last October.

At Kilrush District Court on Tuesday, Mr Mountaine (40) was before the court concerning seven alleged offences under the Road Traffic Act including allegedly driving with no insurance and driving without a licence last October.

Sgt Aiden Lonergan told Judge Mary Larkin that Mr Mountaine’s solicitor, Patrick Moylan’s office was on notice that the hearing into the case would not go ahead today due to the unavailability of a Garda witness.

Mr Mountaine was not in attendance today as the case was not proceeding and Mr Moylan asked that the case be adjourned for hearing to next February.

However, Sgt Lonergan stated that “it is a very short documentary matter Judge. I don’t think it will take much time on any of the days”.

Sgt Lonergan asked that the case be heard earlier in January. Judge Mary Larkin adjourned the case to January.

When the case first came before Judge Larkin in May, Judge Larkin said to Mr Moylan: “If he was stopped on October 21st last why hasn’t he produced his documents”.

Mr Mountaine (40) formerly of Pella Rd, Kilrush is facing seven separate summons concerning seven separate alleged driving offences at Lack West Kilmihil in west Clare under the Road Traffic Act on October 21st last.

Mr Mountaine is facing two summons of driving his 19 G registered vehicle at Lack Hill Kilmihil on October 21st with no driving licence and failing to produce a driving licence.

The summons is contrary to Section 38(1) and Section 40 of the Road Traffic Act.

Mr Mountaine also faces a summons of driving the vehicle without an insurance policy contrary to Section 56 of the Road Traffic Act.

Mr Mountaine also faces a summons of failing to produce for a Garda a certificate of insurance of a certificate of exemption in respect of his use of the vehicle on that occasion and also failed within 10 days to produce the documentation to a Garda.

This summons is contrary to Section 69 of the Road Traffic Acts.

Mr Mountaine faces a separate summons concerning allegedly holding a mobile phone while driving his vehicle contrary to Section 3 of the Road Traffic Act at the same location on the same date.

Mr Mountaine faces a further summons of being holder of a learner permit which required him to be accompanied by and under the supervision of a qualified driver contrary to Section 42 of the Road Traffic Act.

Mr Mountaine is facing another summons of being a learner driving but not displaying rectangular plates or signs with the letter ‘L’ not less than 15 centimetres high in red on a white background also contrary to Section 42 of the Road Traffic Act.

In February, Deputy Wynne resigned from Sinn Féin in controversial circumstances. The mother of six resigned alleging “psychological warfare” and said her recent pregnancy had been used as a “further stick to beat me with”.

Deputy Wynne is continuing as an independent TD for Clare.

When the case was last before the court in July, Mr Moylan said that Mr Mountaine was homeless and living in County Longford.