Leitrim man receives suspended sentence for fourth no insurance conviction

A Ballinaglera man, who was on his fourth conviction for driving with no insurance, has been given a three month jail sentence, suspended for a year, at Carrick-on-Shannon District Court.

Callum Taylor 29 of Jacobswell, Ballinaglera, Co Leitrim pleaded guilty to a charge of driving with no insurance, drink driving, no driving licence, failing to produce same and failing to produce insurance at Acres, Drumshanbo on July 11 2020.
His solicitor Martin Burke said his client had a Probation Report in court.

The court heard the defendant had a total of 12 previous convictions, including three for no insurance.
Mr Burke said his client was a 29-year-old father-of-three and he had completed the Pro Social driving course.
Judge Sandra Murphy said he had not got the best score in the world.

Mr Burke said his client had finished the course. He added that the report said the defendant had engaged “fairly well” and he was assessed as being at a medium risk of re-offending.

Mr Burke said his client had been driving while banned.
He added that he thought the defendant was finally getting the message that he can't drive, and his wife would be doing the driving from now on. The defendant had not come to garda notice since 2020.

Mr Burke asked the court to leave the defendant with his young family to help with their care.
The solicitor asked for a suspended sentence to be left hanging over the defendant's head and it could be activated or that he pay his debt to society through a community service order (CSO).

Judge Murphy said the blood alcohol level from a previous sitting was in the two-year jail sentence category.
The judge said she was taking into account that the defendant had a lot of responsibilities, but this was his fourth conviction for no insurance and there was alcohol in his blood also.

The judge added that she had considered a CSO but felt it was not suitable in this case and he was considered a medium risk of re-offending.

Judge Murphy fined the defendant €250 and banned him from driving for two years on the charge of drink driving.
A charge of having no licence and failing to produce documents were taken into consideration.

The judge jailed the defendant for three months suspended for a year on the no insurance charge and banned him from driving for six years.
“This is a deterrent for him not to get into his car”, said the judge.