A BANNED driver who was caught behind the wheel of her car just yards from her house has been handed a five-month suspended sentence.

Winnie Cash (43) was serving a long driving disqualification at the time she was stopped by gardai.

The defendant, of Hazel Hill in Tallaght, had admitted before Tallaght District Court to driving without insurance or a driving licence.

Garda Sergeant Carmel Henry said gardai were on mobile patrol at Hazel Hill in Tallaght on March 24 last year when they saw Cash driving a Dublin-registered vehicle.

She was asked to produce her documents at her local garda station but she failed to produce them. Sgt Henry said Cash was banned from driving at the time.

The court heard Cash has 188 previous convictions, including 24 previous convictions for driving without insurance and nine for drink driving.

PIRATES KIDNAP US SHIP CAPTAIN

PIRATES have attacked a commercial ship near the coast of Nigeria and kidnapped two US seamen, a US defence official said.

The captain and an engineer were taken away from the offshore supply vessel during the attack in international waters off the Gulf of Guinea.

The pair were kidnapped from the 222ft C-Retriever, the the official said.

The vessel and 11 other members of the crew were released.