More from the pop courts. Lucky old Brian McFadden has had charges of speeding and careless driving dismissed, apparently because the case took so long to come to court. The former Westlifer appeared at Balbriggan District court in Eire to answer the charges relating to an incident on the M1 in North Dublin more than three years ago, when, it was alleged, he drove over the speed limit of 70mph. McFadden's barrister Kieron Kelly, however, said there was no record of the speed at which his client had been driving, and the case for the prosecution was supported by only one witness.
Judge Patrick Brady, however, focused on the length of time it had taken for the case to come to court, and was told that a series of incidents forced several separate adjournments, including one occasion when the sole witness was unable to appear as she was due to give birth to twins, and another when McFadden had to go to Asia on tour. Brady concluded that a delay of more than two years amounted to an unwarranted invasion of McFadden's right to a speedy trial, and threw the case out of court.