A Ballyhaunis man who didn’t appear in court this week has been given a total of five months in prison for driving without insurance on two occasions.
Bernie McDonnagh, 7 The Maples, Ballyhaunis, was stopped by Garda Shane Cuffe on December 30 2009 at 5.32pm at New Road, Ballyhaunis, and was asked to produce his driving licence and insurance within 10 days. He was stopped again on March 17 by Garda Cuffe, who once again demanded the production of his driving licence and insurance. On March 17 he produced a UK driving licence and an insurance policy, but following enquiries by Garda Cuffe it transpired that the policy was not valid for the dates in question.
Garda Cuffe told the court that McDonnagh had 20 previous convictions and 11 of them were for road traffic offences. For having no insurance on December 30, Judge Mary Devins convicted and fined McDonnagh €1,000 and sentenced him to two months in prison and banned him from driving for five years. For having no insurance on March 17 2010 she convicted and fined him €2,000 and sentenced him to three months in prison to run consecutively. She also banned him from driving for six years.
