Phone offender Martin bemoans ‘pathetic politics’

Football matches and penalties go hand in hand but, unfortunately for Cork politician Seán Martin, he incurred a different kind of penalty en route to an intermediate championship match in Coachford yesterday.

Spotted on his mobile phone by a garda near his home turf of Turner’s Cross, the Fianna Fáil local election candidate was pulled over on Pearse Road in Ballyphehane just after 3pm and issued with three on-the-spot penalty points as per legislation that kicked in on May 1. The offence also carries a €60 fine and a much stiffer penalty for non-payment — €2,000 and five penalty points.

When contacted by the Irish Examiner, Mr Martin initially said he “wouldn’t know about it”, but revised his answer when told he had been caught on camera, to “If I did, I did”.