Court summons traffic offence

PokerBonusMine

Hi all. Last year I stupidly used my mobile while sitting in a traffic jam. A guard spotted me and came over. He took some details off me and then walked on without saying anything.
Six months later I got a fixed penalty fine for the offence. The address wasn't complete so had been passed back and forth around my apartment complex before I received it. I attended the garda station but was told I was too late to pay the fixed penalty fine so would have to wait for a summons. Five further months have passed and a summons has arrived at my letterbox today. The date on the summons is October. The court date is next week.
I will be attending court, but I am quite annoyed about something. If I had have been out of the country, say on holiday, for two weeks, what would be the result. When I initially spoke to the guard at the station and pointed out that the address on my fine was incomplete I said I would be worried that a summons to the same address would not arrive. Her answer was "well if it doesn't arrive you can't be expected to be in court".
Surely there should be a more rigid way of delivering a summons? A solicitor friend has even told me that as the summons was not 'correctly delivered' I shouldn't bother turning up!
By the way, any ideas what I can expect for a first offence of using a mobile phone?

Pat Mustard

You say that you didn't get the fixed penalty notice in time to pay it.

You should consider speaking to a solicitor who is familiar with District Court procedure and the relevant judge.