A DISTRICT court judge told a Ballinspittle motorist he was very lucky that he wasn’t going to prison after being caught driving while disqualified for the second time.

Mazen Madhloom (42) of Kilkerran, Ballinspittle pleaded guilty at Bandon District Court to driving without insurance and driving while disqualified.

Sgt Tom Mulcahy told the court that at 12.50am on December 8th last while on mobile patrol in Kinsale, Sgt Kevin Heffernan stopped a car driven by the defendant on Pier Road.

‘As a result of enquiries Sgt Heffernan discovered that Mr Madhloom wasn’t insured and was disqualified at the time. He had just collected his wife from work,’ said Sgt Mulcahy.

‘He was very honest and told him that he was disqualified in October. He also said that the judge at the time told him he would go to jail if he was caught driving while disqualified.’

The court heard he has four previous convictions which are all road traffic related while Judge Joanne Carroll noted that he has previously driven while disqualified.

Defence solicitor Plunkett Taaffe said his client, who is studying social care online, lives a house in a remote rural area with no public transport and is caring for two neighbours.

‘He got into car and he knows he shouldn’t have driven. He was as candid with Sergeant Heffernan and signed a document so that the car can be taken away from him for good,’ said Mr Taaffe.

‘He knows he shouldn’t have driven and will give a sworn undertaking even.’

However, Judge Carroll said an undertaking is ‘neither here or there’ and pointed out that there was a court order in place.

She said her difficulty was that the defendant was previously disqualified and still drove.

‘This isn’t the first time he has done this and will he understand this if he goes to prison?’ asked Judge Carroll.

Judge Carroll directed him to carry out 60 hours of community service in lieu of three months in prison for driving while disqualified. She also disqualified him from driving for four years and fined him €200 with four months to pay the fine.

‘You are very lucky you are not going to prison,’ said the judge.