Quinn Jr forgot to produce car insurance cert

Seán Quinn Jr forgot to produce a motor insurance certificate to gardaí at a time when his family’s business was going bust, a court heard.

The son of former billionaire and quarry tycoon Seán Quinn had a brief break from prison yesterday when he was brought to court where Road Traffic Act charges were struck out.

He had been taken from Mountjoy Prison, where he is serving a three-month term imposed by the High Court in July for contempt of court after he and some other members of his family were found guilty of hiding assets from the former Anglo Irish Bank.

The 33-year-old, wearing a grey suit, red tie, and white shirt, was brought before Judge John O’Connor at Dublin District Court to face charges for not having motor insurance and failing to produce a motor insurance certificate and a driving licence after he had stopped by gardaí, at Conyingham Rd, Dublin, on Apr 21 last year.

However, during the short hearing, Garda David Cullen told the court he had been shown a certificate of insurance yesterday morning and he added that the charges could now be struck out.

Richard Young, defending, said Seán Quinn Jr had been stopped at a time when his family’s business had gone into receivership. He had forgotten to produce the insurance certificate within the necessary time period.

Judge John O’Connor noted that Mr Quinn, who has an address at Alder Lodge, Farmleigh Woods, Castleknock, Dublin, had been insured at the time and agreed to strike out the case.

Mr Quinn was allowed have a brief visit at the courthouse holding cells from his brother-in-law Niall McPartland before he was taken back to Mountjoy.

Two other related charges had been withdrawn at a previous stage.