A 28-year-old man will serve a total of twelve months in prison for repeatedly driving without insurance or a driving licence since being disqualified from driving for ten years earlier this year.

Sentences totalling eight months along with a four-year disqualification were initially imposed on Samir Parker, with addresses at Rinn Lia, Ballybrit, and Gort Road, Ennis, Co Clare, by Judge Gerard Furlong at the holiday sittings of Galway District Court in August, for driving without insurance at Old Ballybrit Road, Galway, on July 31 last, and for refusing to give a breath sample to a nurse at Garda Headquarters in Renmore later that same night.

Judge Mary Fahy added a further, consecutive four-month sentence last week – along with a ten-year disqualification – after hearing Garda Aaron West detected Parker driving his Audi car near Mill Street Garda Station on May 25 last.

Parker appeared before the court via video link from the prison and pleaded guilty to driving without insurance or a driving licence at Mill Street on May 25.

Sergeant Christy Browne, prosecuting, confirmed Parker had 69 previous convictions, 15 of which were for driving without insurance.  The most recent was recorded at Limerick Circuit Court last February, he said, when Parker appealed a District Court sentence and received a three-month sentence, a €1,000 fine and a 10-year disqualification.

He also received a three-month sentence for driving without a licence.

Defence solicitor, Valerie Corcoran, said her client had lost a brother in a traffic accident four years ago and his situation had deteriorated ever since.

She explained Parker’s partner and their two children were living in Galway and he was now dealing with addiction issues while in custody.

Judge Fahy said Parker’s 15 previous convictions for driving without insurance were disgraceful.

She said it was a bit galling to hear that somebody who was disqualified from driving for ten years by a higher court last February, was out driving again in Galway just two months later.

She made the four-month sentence consecutive to the eight months he is already serving and disqualified him for the same ten years.  A concurrent one-month sentence was imposed for not having a licence.