Woman who drove while banned found with drugs

Sunday 21 April 2024

A woman who drove an uninsured car while banned – then was found in possession of illegal drugs when she arrested for the same offence less than a month later has narrowly avoided a prison sentence.

Sentenced in the Magistrate's Court, Geraldine Rosario (44) was told she had come "close to custody", but was instead sentenced to 150 hours of community service.

She was also banned from the roads for a year and given a six-month probation order.

Rosario admitted driving an uninsured car on Boxing Day last year while banned from driving, the Magistrate's Court was told.

Then on 18 January she did the same again. Legal adviser Francis Burak, prosecuting, said she was found to be in possession diazepam and clonazepam, two class C drugs, upon her second arrest.

Pictured: The case was heard this month in the Magistrate's Court.

Rosario admitted the offences of driving while disqualified and uninsured and drugs possession. She also admitted failing to notify licensing authorities of a change of address.

Advocate Nicholas Miere, defending, said Rosario had expressed her “regret and remorse” and added: “Miss Rosario is more of a risk of harm to herself than she is to others.”

Assistant Magistrate Adam Clarke said committing the same crime twice within one month was “an aggravating factor” and told Rosario: "There is no doubt that this crossed the custodial threshold.”

He spared her a jail sentence after a pre-sentence report stated that she was working to improve her behaviour and added: “It is down to you to prove that you are going to put things right.”