A man who has a number of previous convictions for driving offences and was detected driving by gardai while disqualified was given a total of 12 months in prison in Ballyhaunis District Court this week. Garda Alan Ryan told the court that he was on patrol in Main Street, Ballyhaunis, at 7.20pm on November 27 2009 when he passed a side street and saw a silver car come out, which was being driven by Richardas Belickas, 38 Ashling Drive, whom he knew to be disqualified from driving at the time. He told the court that he followed Belicaks back to his house where he arrested him. Garda Ryan added Belickas had a number of previous convictions for driving offences including hit and run, and failing to give a breath sample.
Solicitor for Belickas, Mr Evan O’Dwyer, told the court: “This is not good on so many levels, it’s groundhog day for this man, he has faced multiple court cases and had multiple bans but continued to drive.”
For driving while disqualified Judge Mary Devins convicted and fined him €1,000 and sentenced him to six months in prison and banned him from driving for 10 years. For driving without insurance, she convicted and fined him €1,000, disqualified him from driving for 10 years concurrent, and sentenced him to six months prison consecutive. For driving without a licence she convicted and fined him €170, recognisance in lieu of an appeal was also fixed.
