TD Clare Daly blasts 'ludicrous' Naas judge for issuing bench warrant after leaving court

Independent TD Clare Daly has accused a Naas Court judge of issuing a 'ludicrous' bench warrant following a much publicised court case in Naas yesterday morning.

The Newbridge native accused judge Desmond Zaidan of wasting Garda resources by issuing her with a bench warrant after she left the court before her case was heard, where she was facing a fine of €300 for a speeding offence.

Deputy Daly said that there were cases similar to hers where the defendant was absent, but there were no warrants issued by Judge Zaidan. Ms Daly had instructed her solicitor before she left.

"Of course the reason I had for not being there was that I had been there in the morning. I had watched how this judge had dealt with the cases that were before me, saw cases where people did not turn up on similar charges, did not have a solicitor, and no bench warrant or any proceedings were dealt with. A judgment was simply given in those cases," said Deputy Daly.

"The point I am making is that judges are in an incredibly powerful position. I respect our courts system and I respect that judges have discretion but that discretion has to be exercised proportionally and rationally and when it is not there has to be somebody there that calls that to account.

Judge Zaidan had accused Deputy Daly of having 'total disrespect for the law' and said that her solicitor did not offer a reason for his client leaving the court, but Daly told the Dáil yesterday that it was the Gardaí who were the victims in this case.

"While that judge can accuse me without any recall on my part of disrespecting the court, in reality to me, by doing that and issuing a bench warrant in those circumstances, when I clearly wasn't any risk of absconding ... the consequence of his action was that An Garda Síochána, who are actually innocent victims in this situation, were subject to massive negative publicity that they had orchestrated the situation."