Former TV chef living in Wicklow fails to have conviction overturned after his ‘personal life was destroyed’

11h ago

Former TV chef, and Dunlavin resident, Lee Bradshaw failed in his bid to overturn a motor insurance conviction imposed in the District Court.

The case dated back more than a decade to 2012 when Bradshaw was spotted by garda traffic corps in Gorey at the wheel of a Kerry registered BMW.

His address at the time was given as being in Tralee but he later resided in Dublin and Gorey before settling at Toberbeg in Dunlavin.

The case was delayed as the defendant failed to appear on several occasions over the years to deal with the prosecution and bench warrants were issued.

He was eventually convicted in his absence at Gorey District Court last year, ten years after committing the offence detected by Garda Martin Kavanagh.

He was fined €500 and put off the road for two years but the matter did not conclude there as he appealed to Wexford Circuit Court.

At the appeal hearing, his barrister produced a letter from 123.ie stating that the company keeps records for no more than seven years.

As a result, Bradshaw was unable to prove his contention that he had insurance cover in place in 2012.

Garda Kavanagh pointed out that he had numerous opportunities to produce his documents over the years.

The appellant was sworn in to explain that he missed the District Court hearing last year as he was on holiday in Spain for a week with his mother and daughter.

He described himself as a single dad and said that he was drawing social welfare at the moment.

Asked why he failed to appear in court back in 2015, when a warrant was issued for his arrest, the appellant said his focus was not on such things at the time.

Bradshaw, whose break up from the Copper Bar restaurant in Dublin was the subject of highly publicised legal proceedings, reckoned he was wrecked emotionally and mentally.

‘My personal life was destroyed. My head could have been anywhere,’ he told Judge Alice Doyle.

He asserted that he had third party insurance on the day he was stopped by the garda but accepted that he was in no position to obtain proof to support this contention.

Wexford State Solicitor Brendan Curran felt that all delays in the long standing case were down to the appellant.

Defence counsel James O’Brien responded that the court could not be sure his client was not insured.

However, Judge Doyle felt that the conviction was sound, observing that Bradshaw had led the prosecution a merry dance.

She was informed that Bradshaw was father of a five year old child, that he had worked in ‘hospitality’ and that he hoped to have a new business up and running later this year.

It was also revealed that he had a previous conviction for another motor insurance offence.

The fine and disqualification were affirmed, with the two year driving ban coming into effect from May 30.