A DISABLED DRIVER forced to park on a footpath in south Dublin because other motorists flouted rules and were “stealing” allocated spaces for disability permit holders has been spared a conviction.

Paul de Brit, Hillview, Upper Ballinglen, Tinahely, Co Wicklow, was summoned to appear at Dublin District Court today.

Judge Anthony Halpin listened to his account and granted dismissal of the charge under section 1(1) of the Probation of Offenders Act.

The judge heard that on February 23 last year at 13:58, Mr de Brit parked a 07-registered car at Milltown Road, Dublin 6.

The court summons was issued when his €120 payment for a parking ticket was received too late.

Mr de Brit, who uses a walking frame, came forward and asked if he was pleading guilty.

He replied, “Well, I did it”, which the judge took to be a guilty plea.

Leaning against the judge’s bench, Mr de Brit continued to explain what occurred.

He said that he had a parking permit to park in disabled spaces. However, the disabled parking spots in the area were used up by drivers without a permit, he explained.

Mr de Brit added he drove off and parked on a path farther away. Conceding that he should not have, he ensured, “I was not impeding pedestrians.”

Mr de Brit also stressed that his disability sticker was on display on his car.

“I thought it would be okay, what annoyed me was that the tickets should be going to the people stealing disability spaces”, he said.

Mr de Brit’s account was not challenged in court.

The offence was under section 35(5)(a) of the Road Traffic Act 1994.

The prosecution was brought by Dublin City Council, as part of a list of cases involving parking violations, where the judge frequently imposes fines of several hundred euros, a donation to charity, and approximately €200 toward costs.

However, in this prosecution, Judge Halpin stated that he was not applying any punishment and advised Mr. de Brit that he should report the registration plate numbers of the offending cars, which were using the disabled bays, to the gardaí, who take such matters very seriously.