End of the road E-scooter man convicted of driving without licence or insurance slams ‘unfair’ prosecution

The 42-year-old confirmed to the Sunday World that he has now returned to his native country and cannot afford to return to Ireland to fight his case

Pedro Jose De Amorim has returned to Brazil

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January 23 2022 06:30 PM

An e-scooter rider who is one of the first people in Ireland to be convicted of driving without a licence or insurance has slammed his prosecution as “unfair.”

Brazilian Pedro Jose De Amorim was convicted of the offences at Tullamore District Court earlier this month but Judge Colm Roberts adjourned the imposition of a penalty, noting there was no appearance on behalf of the accused.

The 42-year-old, who we contacted through social media this week, confirmed to the Sunday World that he has now returned to his native country and cannot afford to return to Ireland to fight his case.

“Unfortunately, I won’t be there on the day of the hearing because I can’t afford to be there and enter [Ireland] illegally,” he said.

“I don’t think it’s fair to have forbidden me to ride my electric scooter, being that in Ireland, there are a lot of electric vehicles and the police don’t do anything.”

Amorim, of St Beccan’s Terrace, Tullamore Road, Kilbeggan, was summonsed to appear before the court arising from an interaction with gardai on the N52 at Arden, Tullamore on May 5.

Garda Pat McGee said in evidence that at 6.10pm on April 5 last year when he was conducting a checkpoint, a gentleman on a 500-watt electric scooter approached.

Judge Roberts said the law is “slightly vague on all that” but he knew there had been convictions.

Garda McGee said that anything with “over a 250-watt motor” is deemed a mechanically propelled vehicle.

Judge Roberts said that it was up to the defendant to make arguments on the matter, not himself or the garda.

Convicting the accused in his absence, the judge told Garda McGee to notify the man of the court’s decision by either a registered letter or by personal service and he adjourned consideration of a penalty to February 23 next.

Last year a bill was introduced in the Dáil which seeks to regulate the use of electric scooters and electric bikes.