An old married couple from Clare have been found guilty over not wearing mask during a shopping at an Aldi store.
Ryan Austin (81) and Nicky Austin (76) from Woodpark, Mountshannon, Co Clare refused to wear masks on January 26 while at the Aldi store in Killaloe, even after the garda said to do so, it was told in the court. Mrs. Austin was defending her action and asked the garda to show evidence that such a law was there in the country. On the other hand, Mr. Austin showed a self-declaration form and said there was no need for him to wear mask, though any information of health issues for him to do so was not included in the form.
Following that, the garda fined the couple but they refused to pay. The matter was later taken to Killaloe District Court and the Judge sent summons for them to present for the hearing.
Solicitor for the two, Billy Loughnane, said that his clients have “over 150 years of living peacefully and never causing trouble in all that time”.
He also said the reason for not wearing masks was personal and no intention of protest was involved. It was stressful for wearing masks for the older couple, he added.
Judge Mary Larkin imposed fines of €80 each on the couple for breaching Covid-19 health regulations by not following mask requirement. The Garda officer had told the court that the couple was very vulnerable to the disease by breaching the regulation at the peak time of infection.