Conor McGregor's hearing for dangerous driving delayed until next year

Tom Tuite

Conor McGregor’s court hearing in his dangerous driving prosecution in Dublin, which had been scheduled for Wednesday, has been delayed until July next year.

Gardaí stopped the 35-year-old MMA star driving a high-performance Bentley Continental GT on March 22nd last year in west Dublin.

He was arrested and initially charged with two counts of dangerous driving in the 2019-reg car at the N4/M50 interchange in Palmerstown and Lucan Road, being uninsured, having no licence, and failing to produce his documents within ten days.

There had been brief procedural hearings at Blanchardstown District Court in April, June and September 2022 when gardai further charged the father of four with careless driving, a lesser offence, in connection with the incident.

In November that year, the defence offered a proposal to be considered by the prosecution, and the case was adjourned until January 11th for progress.

Dubliner McGregor, who lives in Straffan, Co Kildare, had appeared in court for the four previous hearings in the proceedings.

However, the former UFC champion could not attend on the following date, with his lawyers telling Judge David McHugh that McGregor was unwell due to a likely diagnosis of influenza and a letter from his doctor was handed into court.

Counsel added: “Unfortunately, we have been unable to resolve matters and will have to ask for a hearing date.”

Judge McHugh had then ordered that the trial would go ahead on December 6th at noon.

However, the defence applied last month to vacate that hearing, and it was confirmed on Tuesday that the court granted a new date; the case will be dealt with on July 31st next year.

On conviction, dangerous driving carries a maximum fine of up to €5,000 and six months imprisonment. Careless driving carries a maximum €5,000 penalty but no risk of a prison sentence.