Penalty points for speeding makes it to court

The first batch of defendants - since the introduction of the penalty points system - to appear before the District Court on charges of speeding had their cases heard yesterday (April 23).

In total 29 motorists were fined for speeding and had four penalty points added to their licences when they appeared before Dublin District Court. Three others who challenged the prosecutions had their cases dismissed after the judge accepted they had paid or attempted to pay the original on-the-spot-fine.

Judge Smithwick commented that the courts were not there to "merely rubber stamp" the penalty points system.