Gave the gardaí the name and address of his brother

A 44-YEAR-old Drimoleage man, who had initially given his brother’s name and address when stopped by gardaí last year, has received three months in jail for road traffic offences.

Mark McCormack of 2 Ivy House, West End, Drimoleague pleaded guilty to numerous road traffic offences, including driving while disqualified, driving without insurance and giving a false name and address to gardaí.

Garda Liam Galvin of Dunmanway Garda Station told the court that he stopped a car in Dunmanway  on December 2nd last and it had no tax disc or NCT disc displayed and he subsequently seized the car.

‘The defendant gave me a false name and address, which was his brother’s, and it was only the day after that I got his real name and address and found out that he was driving while disqualified,’ said Garda Galvin.

The court heard the defendant has 17 previous convictions, including two for no insurance and he had received a suspended sentence of five months earlier this year.

Defence solicitor Ray Hennessy said his client is a full-time carer for his father who is suffering cancer.

‘He panicked and gave the wrong name and he apologises,’ said Mr Hennessy.

Judge James McNulty noted that the defendant received a suspended sentence before. He sentenced him to three months in prison for driving while disqualified and banned him from driving for seven years. 

He was also sentenced to three months in prison for driving without insurance and also for giving gardaí a false name and address. All the sentences are to be served concurrently. The charge of using a car without a valid NCT and the non-display of a tax disc was taken into consideration.

Recognisances for an appeal were fixed in the defendant’s own bond of €100.