A Donegal man who was forced to return from Australia to answer an appeal against dangerous driving charges has had his sentence dropped but fined €5,000.
Down Under: Glenn Alcorn
Glen Alcorn, 28, had to appear in person after Judge Keenan Johnson warned his solicitor that her client should turn up in person in court.
Alcorn, who lives in Perth, appealed the case to the circuit court in Letterkenny but never turned up himself.
On reviewing the case, Judge Johnson described it as one of the worse of dangerous driving he had witnessed and advised Alcorn to come back from Australia with a good wallet of money with him.
Alcorn, of Renny, Lettermacaward turned up in court yesterday and told the court he was currently employed in Australia and planned to aply for citizenship there.
“I have appealed the sentence. I have applied for residency and it doesn’t look good for my record. I intend to live there for the foreseeable future,” he said.
He also produced references in court.
The court previously heard that Alcorn was convicted in the district court on four charges of dangerous driving and one charge of failing to stop for Gardai on April 7, 2010.
The offences involved Alcorn driving at speeds of up to 160km/hr on rural roads in the townlands of Menagowan, Farrigans, Renny and Toome.
He was also convicted of failing to remain at the scene.
Gardai had attempted to arrest Alcorn, but couldn’t because he was driving so dangerously and so fast, the Circuit Court heard.
He also had a conviction for dangerous driving in 2007. He was disqualified from driving for two years on that occasion.
However having listened to the plea, Judge Johnson said he was prepared to remove the suspended sentence and give Alcorn a chance.
He fined him a total of €5,000 and gave him 12 months to pay.
“I don’t think it would be fair that this hangs over you and I think you have learned your lesson,” he added.