Friday 30 October 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 13351Failure to wear a seatbelt · Co. Donegal · 9 Oct 2024

Clonmany man cleared of failing to wear seatbelt on medical grounds

Richard Doherty, a 70-year-old man from Clonmany in Donegal, was charged with failing to wear a seatbelt after Garda Sergeant Vincent Muldoon saw him without one at Churchland Quarters, Carndonagh, on 9 October 2024. The defence said he had a serious shoulder injury and handed in a medical certificate, and the exemption was signed in June 2025, after the offence date. On 29 June 2025 at Carndonagh District Court, Judge Ciaran Liddy dismissed the charge, giving him the benefit of the doubt. The charge was dismissed on medical grounds, so the case has ended without a conviction.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In courtnot reported
  5. Acquitted26 Jun
  6. Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
Richard Doherty, 70, of Letter, Urris, Clonmany, was charged with failing to wear a seatbelt.
Where
The seatbelt stop took place at Churchland Quarters, Carndonagh, Co Donegal.
When
  • Garda Sergeant Vincent Muldoon spotted the man not wearing a seatbelt on 9 October 2024.
  • Court reporting dates the dismissal to 29 June 2025, though one article about the case is dated 26 June 2025.
Cause
The defence said the man had a serious shoulder injury that prevented him wearing a seatbelt.
Investigation
Sergeant Muldoon said his notebook recorded the seatbelt offence as accepted at the time of the stop, but also said the medical exemption was signed in June 2025, after the offence date.
In court
The defence handed a copy of a medical certificate to Judge Ciaran Liddy at Carndonagh District Court.
Sentence
Judge Ciaran Liddy dismissed the charge, giving the man the benefit of the doubt.
Other details
Reports describe the man as cleared on medical grounds after his solicitor argued he should have been exempt from wearing a seatbelt.
8 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatRichard Doherty, of Clonmany, faced the charge at Carndonagh District Court. (donegallive.ie)
  • whereThe man was cleared at Carndonagh District Court. (donegallive.ie)
  • whenGarda Sergeant Vincent Muldoon spotted him not wearing a seatbelt at Churchland Quarters, Carndonagh, on 9 October 2024. (donegallive.ie)
  • causeThe defence said the man had a serious shoulder injury that prevented him wearing a seatbelt. (donegallive.ie)
  • investigationSergeant Muldoon said his notebook recorded that the seatbelt offence was accepted at the time of the stop. (donegallive.ie)
  • courtThe defence handed in a copy of a medical certificate to Judge Ciaran Liddy. (donegallive.ie)
  • courtSergeant Muldoon said the exemption was signed in June 2025, after the offence date. (donegallive.ie)
  • sentenceThe judge dismissed the charge altogether, giving the man the benefit of the doubt. (donegallive.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 26 Jun2025
    Acquitteddonegallive.ie, first report
    70-year-old charged with failure to wear seatbelt is cleared on medical grounds

    Court reporting of the case: the charge was dismissed on medical grounds at Carndonagh District Court on 29 June 2025.

    accused, Richard Doherty, 70, male, named, irish (judged from name)Richard Doherty