Stiff Fines for Leaving Children Unattended and Injuring a Pedestrian

Drunk and Disorderly Leaving Children Unattended at Home

The defence raised the possibility of entrappment in a child custody tussle. The timing was suspicious – the husband was so quick off the mark to seek custody immediately after the mother was charged in Court. A highly qualified medical professional, a lady in her thirties, went on a drunken binge in Monaco bars having been invited out by a friend. Drunk and disorderly is one thing; leaving two young children unattended in a high-rise in Monaco put her in hot water with the Court. No keys had been left with the Concierge; she had left a telephone in the apartment so the children could contact her. There was no nanny present when the police checked after seeing her drunk and abusive during her night out. The mother claimed she had tried to call a nanny, but the police said they had found no trace of that call. The defence lawyer argued a trace could be found. The defence also argued for clemency on the grounds the mother was fleeing a violent and abusive husband from whom she was separated. It seemed to offend the judge that the defendant’s qualifications were not in order to practice her profession in Monaco. The Prosecution recommended a 5.000 euro stiff fine. The Court raised it to 10.000 euros commensurate with about one month’s earnings for the defendant.

A Lady Hit and Injured on a Pedestrian Crossing

It doesn’t always take drugs or alcohol nor a record of recklessness to cause a serious accident, nor even using a mobile telephone. A Monaco resident, a lady in her fifties, had stopped her vehicle to allow pedestrians to cross. It was after stopping that she lost her concentration and started off too soon, clipping a Parisian with her wing mirror sufficient to topple her and cause injury. Two operations and possibly a third were necessary to rehabilitate the victim. Medical expenses were estimated at 8.000 euros. There was no disputing the facts, rather a contest between the prosecution and the defence over the claim for expenses with the defence pleading for a cap of 5000 euros.

Typically the fine for inattentive driving at a pedestrian crossing is 500 euros and this was exactly the judgement of the Court. And even though there were no drugs or alcohol or aggravating issues, no clemency was allowed and the 8000 euro claim was not pared back. A very expensive lapse of concentration with sad consequences for the victim.