A farmer who ran over an elderly German tourist with his 1980- registered tractor at one of the country’s best-known tourist spots was fined €1,250 yesterday.

At Ennis Circuit Court, Judge Gerald Keys said that banning John Boyce (57), Moyhill, Cratloe, Co Clare, a father of two, from driving would be akin to taking tools from a tradesman.

At the court earlier last month, a jury unanimously found Boyce guilty of careless driving relating to the fatal crash of his Massey Ferguson tractor into Inge Schmidt (76) at a pedestrian crossing at Low Road, Bunratty, on October 29th, 2010.

Boyce was tried on the charge of dangerous driving causing the death of Ms Schmidt but the jury unanimously cleared him of that.

At the sentencing hearing yesterday, Judge Keys said there were a number of aggravating factors.

These included the condition of Boyce’s tractor, in … Read More »