Ireland Woman disqualified after child found in car during M7 dangerous driving stop, Naas
On 18 May 2025 gardaí stopped a car driven by Josephine Connors, a 36-year-old woman, on the M7 at Lewistown, Naas, Co Kildare, after it veered across lanes into the hard shoulder. An eight-year-old child, not wearing a seat belt, was found in the car along with a half-empty litre bottle of vodka, and the child was put into a patrol car. Connors, a learner driver, was detained and prosecuted for dangerous driving and for refusing to provide a blood or urine sample at Naas garda station on the same date. Naas District Court disqualified her for four years for dangerous driving, with a concurrent four-year ban for the refusal, as reported on 29 January 2026.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrestednot reported
- Chargednot reported
- In courtnot reported
- Verdictnot reported
- Sentenced29 Jan
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- An eight-year-old child, not wearing a seat belt, was found in the car when it was stopped.
- The driver veered across lanes into the hard shoulder before the car was stopped.
- A litre bottle of vodka, half empty, was found in the car.
- Where
- The offence took place on the M7 at Lewistown, Naas, County Kildare.
- When
- The dangerous driving offence took place on 18 May 2025.
- Charges
- Josephine Connors, 36, was prosecuted for dangerous driving on the M7.
- Connors was also prosecuted for refusing to provide a blood or urine sample on the same date at Naas garda station.
- Investigation
- The child was put into the patrol car, and Connors, a learner driver, was detained.
- In court
- The case was heard before Naas District Court.
- Sentence
- The judge disqualified Connors from driving for four years for dangerous driving.
- A concurrent four-year driving ban was added for refusing to provide a sample.
- Other details
- Connors had 60 previous convictions, 32 of them traffic related.
- The sentencing was reported by Kildare Now on 29 January 2026.
10 statements extracted from the articles
- whatAn eight-year-old child, not wearing a seat belt, was found in the woman's car when it was stopped. (kildarenow.com)
- whatThe woman veered across lanes into the hard shoulder. (kildarenow.com)
- whatA litre bottle of vodka, half empty, was found in the car. (kildarenow.com)
- whereThe offence took place on the M7 at Lewistown, Naas. (kildarenow.com)
- whenThe dangerous driving offence was on May 18, 2025. (kildarenow.com)
- chargeShe was also prosecuted for refusing to provide a blood or urine sample on the same date at Naas garda station. (kildarenow.com)
- sentenceThe judge disqualified the woman for four years for dangerous driving. (kildarenow.com)
- sentenceA concurrent four-year ban was added for refusing to provide a sample. (kildarenow.com)
- otherThe child was put into the patrol car and the woman, a learner driver, was detained. (kildarenow.com)
- otherThe woman had 60 previous convictions, 32 of them traffic related. (kildarenow.com)
The reporting
newest first- 29 Jan2026Kildare gardaí found child (8) in pyjamas with no seat belt and vodka, when woman was stopped for dangerous driving on M7
Court report on sentencing, published 29 January 2026. It adds the sentence, the child found in the car, the vodka found, and the defendant's previous convictions. No existing case matched.
convicted, Josephine Connors, 36, female, named, irish (judged from name)Josephine Connorsvictim, 8