Thursday 29 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. 6837Driving without a licence (minor) · Co. Waterford · 4 Jan 2024

Gardaí in Waterford stop 13-year-old boy driving family car on national road

Gardaí on routine patrol in Waterford passed and then stopped a family car late on Thursday afternoon, 4 January 2024, on a national road. The car was being driven by a 13-year-old boy, who was unlicensed and uninsured, with his parents as passengers. A Garda Juvenile Liaison Officer was appointed to the boy, and the vehicle's owner is to be brought before the courts. The latest development, reported on 5 January 2024, is a Garda social media post about the stop, and no charge or court date has been reported.

  1. Reported5 Jan
    2 reports
  2. Arrested
  3. Charged
  4. In court
  5. Verdict
  6. Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
  • Gardaí in Waterford stopped a car being driven by a 13-year-old boy.
  • The boy was unlicensed and uninsured and four years below the minimum driving age of 17.
Where
The car was stopped on a national road in Waterford, which corkbeo.ie describes as a busy Munster Road.
When
Gardaí on routine patrol passed and stopped the car late on Thursday afternoon, 4 January 2024.
Cause
Gardaí noticed the driver's strikingly young appearance before stopping the car.
Other details
  • The two passengers, in the front and back, were the boy's parents.
  • The parents told gardaí the boy was just out for a spin.
  • An Garda Síochána posted about the stop on its social media accounts on Friday, 5 January 2024.
Investigation
A Garda Juvenile Liaison Officer has been appointed to the boy.
In court
The owner of the vehicle is to be brought before the courts; no charge is reported.
12 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatGardaí found a 13-year-old driving the car. (corkbeo.ie)
  • whatThe two passengers in the car were the driver's parents. (corkbeo.ie)
  • whatThe driver was unlicensed and uninsured and four years under the minimum driving age of 17. (corkbeo.ie)
  • whatGardaí stopped a car being driven by a 13-year-old boy. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whereThe car was stopped on a busy road in Waterford. (corkbeo.ie)
  • whereThe boy was driving on a national road. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whenThe car was passed and stopped by Gardaí on routine patrol late on the previous afternoon. (corkbeo.ie)
  • whenThe stop happened on a Thursday. (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtThe owner of the vehicle will be brought before the courts. (corkbeo.ie, irishmirror.ie)
  • otherA Garda Juvenile Liaison Officer has been appointed to the boy. (corkbeo.ie, irishmirror.ie)
  • otherThe two passengers in the car were the boy's parents. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherThe parents said they were just out for a spin. (irishmirror.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 5 Jan2024
    Reportedirishmirror.ie, first report
    Gardaí in Waterford catch boy (13) driving with two very unexpected passengers

    Garda social media post, reported by Irish Mirror, describing the stop on Thursday and the planned court referral of the vehicle owner. No names, and the owner is not identified as a parent.

    suspect, 13, male
  2. 5 Jan2024
    Reportedcorkbeo.ie, follow-up
    Gardai pull over 13-year-old driver 'just out for a spin' on busy Munster Road

    Gardaí describe the driver as 13 and unlicensed and uninsured. The owner of the vehicle is to be brought before the courts, and a Garda Juvenile Liaison Officer has been appointed to the boy.

    suspect, 13, male