Driving unaccompanied learner permit and full non-Irish permit

omlika

Hi I just discovered I have a court appearance for three road traffic offences:

1- Driving unaccompanied on a learner permit.
2- Failure to renew license within 10 days.
3- Driving without license.


I was stopped by a Garda on June 2013 (8 months ago), he discovered that my first learner permit expired by 2 months. Showing my 14 years non-Irish full license was not sufficient because it became invalid after the first 12 months in state.
The Garda asked me to produce a new license and log it in my local Garda station before 10 days. My wife sitting beside me had her learner license valid. He asked her to take the wheel. There was no mention of our need to be accompanied by a full license holder.
I obtained a receipt for new learner permit after 4 days; the new driving license will need 3 weeks to be issued. At my local Garda station they refused to use the receipt as evidence to track that I renewed within 10 days. I was told to come back when the license will be issued and that I may get a small fine and that there is nothing they can do. I accepted. 3 weeks later I went back with the new license and logged it into the system.
I was never thinking that driving by my own on a learner permit is illegal for my case because:
1- I am a 15 years full license driver; I was legally driving and ensured in Ireland using my non-Irish full license when I initially moved to Ireland.
2- The day I was stopped, the Garda asked my wife to take the wheel even she is on learner Irish license and holding a non-Irish full license.
I am not arguing the law here but just explaining my sincere intention that if I knew I would never led myself to be in an illegal situation.
After 8 months, I learn indirectly about a court appearance in 10 days. The Garda that stopped me wrote me a registered mail to inform me that he will not attend the court and that another Garda will attend on his behalf.
Calling the court, I get the list of offences. I am guilty for driving on an expired license. I have evidence why I failed to produce the license within 10 days so I should be ok. However my biggest concern is about the unaccompanied driving.
My other problem is that if I knew about it sooner I would have given the acquisition of a full Irish license my highest priority.
Here come my questions:
- How serious is my case?
- Do I better be represented by a solicitor?
- For the Judge, do I develop the fact that I had a misunderstanding of the law because of my full non-Irish license and that before I learned about the court appearance I was not considering myself illegally driving when unaccompanied?
- How to prove that the court never gave me notice. I would have done my best to pass the driving test and get a full Irish license.
- Do I just plead guilty to avoid the risk of frustrating the judge

These are the documents I am planning to bring the day of my court appearance:
1- Renewed learner driving license
2- Letter from NDLS proving the start date of the learner driving license is within the 10 days and that I have 0 penalty points
3- Letter from my insurance proving I was covered the day I was stopped
4- My full non-Irish license which is still valid.
5- A driving test booking done 2 days ago. I will ask to be placed for the cancelled tests to get a test asap

Thank you for your help

MascotDec85

I would certainly contact a solicitor. When searching look/ask for one who specializes in Traffic Offences.

biko

Your valid non-Iish licence, is it from another EU country? I assume not since you have a learner's licence but want to check.