Man who followed teacher in road rage incident has driving ban lifted

A judge yesterday said that the behaviour of a man who followed in his car a frightened female school teacher for 16km to her home at night in a “road rage” incident was “totally outrageous and completely unacceptable”.

Judge Tom O’Donnell made his comment at Ennis Circuit Court after lifting the driving ban and conviction for careless driving and threatening and abusive behaviour imposed on the Paul Carton in June.

At Ennis District Court, Judge Patrick Durcan banned Carton, aged 50, for 12 months and fined him €1,500 after Carton of Tullyvaraga Cresent, Shannon, pleaded guilty to the charges arising from his pursuit of Aisling Frawley to her home at Clarecastle on November 15, 2015.

In response to Mr Carton’s appeal, Judge O’Donnell yesterday lifted the driving ban and conviction after Mr Carton’s solicitor, Daragh Hassett, said if the driving ban and conviction stood, Carton would be effectively made redundant from his post in Shannon airport, as he would not pass security clearance with the conviction.

Judge O’Donnell said yesterday that Carton’s behaviour was “totally outrageous and completely unacceptable.”

He said: “I appreciate that Mr Carton has expressed his apology to the victim for his appalling behaviour at the time.”

Judge O’Donnell said that he has not lost sight of Mr Carton’s behaviour on the night but nonetheless decided to lift the conviction after Carton agreed to pay €1,500 to the local branch of St Vincent de Paul.