COURTS: A man disqualified from driving for TEN years, has been sentenced to four months in prison after being caught yet again behind the wheel while still disqualified.
Stephen Orr, 36, from St Johnston appeared at a sitting of Letterkeny District Court in relation to an incident which occurred in Newtoncunningham on March 28th of this year.
In 2010, he was disqualified from driving for ten years.
The court heard how Garda Elaine Gordon spotted the defendant driving a vehicle and knew he was disqualified from driving.
She activated her lights and signalled for Mr Orr to pull the vehicle over, he initially accelerated off, but after a short distance pulled over and exited the vehicle.
When quizzed why he had accelerated off, the defendant admitted that he was disqualified from driving.
The court heard the staggering amount of driving offences against him, Mr Orr had thirteen previous convictions for dangerous driving.
Solicitor for the defendant Patsy Gallagher conceded that his client had an ‘appalling’ record – but said it was due to an emergency that his client got behind the wheel.
“My client knows what he did was wrong, and totally accepts that, but the reason he took the car was due to an emergency.
“His partner was up in his mother’s house, which was a short distance away from where they lived, their child took sick, and he attempted to go to the house to take the child to the doctors.
“It was a short distance, but when he spotted the Gardaí, he sped off initially, but then pulled the vehicle over and admitted straight away he was disqualified.
“I’d ask the court to perhaps give this man community service, so he can give back to the state in a positive way, as oppose to going to Castlerea Prison at the expense of the taxpayer.”
Judge Paul Kelly said it seemed clear considering the staggering amount of disqualifications and driving convictions he had, that he has no respect for the court’s judgements, as he just continually disregards all directions.
He also added that he accelerated when he saw Gardaí and spoke about the litany of previous charges against him.
Judge Paul Kelly sentenced Mr Orr to four months in prison and was disqualified from driving for four years.