Google receives a €450 fine after its Street View car parks illegally in an Irish street

On the same day we reported that Google Earth was getting a bit of a facelift, news emerged that the Internet giant had been summoned to appear in an Irish court after one of its famous ‘Street View’ cars, replete with roof-mounted camera, had parked illegally on a street in County Kerry.

As the Irish Times reports, Google Ireland pleaded guilty to the offence back in September 2011, and the case of Kerry County Council v Google appeared in front of Castleisland court in December.

The case had been adjourned until yesterday, with Google showing up to confirm a €450 contribution it pledged to the court “poor box”, which would see it avoid a formal conviction under the Road Traffic Act. The sum has now been paid by Google, and we’re assured by inside sources that the Internet firm didn’t ask to pay in weekly installments.

At the previous hearing, the court was told how Google Ireland’s drivers were not directly employed by the Internet giant, but were provided by a subcontractor. The solicitor representing Google Ireland noted that the fine would have been paid directly without a summons, but it hadn’t realized there had been a parking fine until the summons arrived.