Cork man (63) jailed for driving without insurance while under a driving ban

David Forsythe

A 63-year-old motorist who was caught driving without valid insurance when he was already banned from driving has been sent to prison for three months.

Denis O’Driscoll of Lower Codrum, Macroom, Co Cork appeared before Judge Monika Leech at a recent sitting of Macroom District Court.

Court presenter Sergeant Trish O’Sullivan said that Mr O’Driscoll was stopped at a checkpoint driving a red Renault car at Gurranenagappul, Clondrohid at 10am on July 12th, 2024.

The car displayed expired tax and NCT discs and when Mr O’Driscoll was asked to produce his license he told the garda he had left it at home.

The court heard that Mr O’Driscoll produced his licence at Macroom Garda Station later that day where it was discovered that he was banned from driving and therefore was also uninsured.

The court heard that Mr O’Driscoll had been convicted of driving without insurance in August 2022 and disqualified from driving for six years. The court was told that the father of six had a total of 34 previous convictions including 16 for road traffic matters.

Defence solicitor Patrick Goold said that Mr O’Driscoll accepted he should not have been driving.

He said that his client had serious health issues and had suffered a heart attack in 2021. He said that there were no aggravating factors when he was stopped other that the fact he was disqualified and that he “seemed to be continuing to drive in the locality.”

Judge Leech said that Mr O’Driscoll seemed to have disregarded entirely the fact that he was disqualified and had “a litany of previous offences,” and a “blatant disregard for law and order.”

Denis O’Driscoll was convicted, sentenced to three months in prison and disqualified from driving for 10 years.