Jail to driver with string of offences

Martin O’Donovan (50) with an address at 53 Gort an Choirce, Gort, was before Gort District Court where it was heard that he was in court on foot of two bench warrants, having failed to appear to answer charges in courts in Limerick and Longford.

Judge Alec Gabbett said he was refusing bail on those charges and remanded O’Donovan in custody to appear via video link at Althlone and Limerick District Courts this week.

The court heard that O’Donovan also faced a number of charges in the Gort District.

Garda Anthony Davoren told the court that he stopped the defendant on August 5, 2024 at Gort an Choirce, Tubber Road, Gort as he was aware that O’Donovan had been disqualified from driving.

Of the 27 previous convictions, five were for driving without insurance and Garda Davoren said the defendant had been put off the road for five years in July 2024 at Tuam District Court.

Defending solicitor John Nash said his client had run into personal difficulties in 2019 when he lost his job and received his first a driving without insurance conviction as the company he worked for went into receivership and cancelled his policy.

Judge Gabbett said while he was “immensely sorry” to hear that this situation arose in 2019 and while he accepted that these things can snowball, “there comes a point where if you have that problem, you have to stop driving”.

While Mr Nash assured the court that it would not see O’Donovan again, Judge Gabbett said he had to consider the impact on the public.

“He hasn’t stopped driving and he won’t stop driving.

“I can’t take the risk with the public – what if he hits a child?

“Why doesn’t he care?,” said Judge Gabbett.

He imposed a five-month prison sentence for driving without insurance, and a further one-month sentence for driving without a licence, to run consecutively. Recognisances were fixed in the event of an appeal.

Pictured: Judge Alec Gabbett.