A 23-YEAR-OLD man received a two-year driving ban and two suspended sentences for road traffic offences including the unlawful taking of a vehicle and dangerous driving.

Selvin Foley, of Main Street, Innishannon, appeared on a dangerous driving charge, a charge of unauthorised taking of a motor vehicle and two charges of criminal damage, all relating to an incident in Kinsale on November 21, 2025.

Bandon District Court heard that the defendant had received a five-year driving ban at Cork Circuit Court in November 2024 and had not been to any adverse Garda attention since November 2025.

Judge Joanne Carroll said that the case before her had been going on for quite some time and needed to be finalised, adding that it was “a very serious case”.

A number of witnesses had testified during an earlier hearing, giving details of the incident, she said.

“It was obvious that he had a serious alcohol addiction. Since that hearing he has gone into residential treatment and has done three separate random drug tests in July, August and September, which were all negative,” said Judge Carroll.

Asked if he was off alcohol and drugs, Mr Foley answered that he was.

The court heard that he was now living in Dungarvan and expecting to become a father to his first child in March.

Judge Carroll imposed a sentence of five months, suspended for 18 months, on the charge of unauthorised taking of a motor vehicle.

The condition of the suspended sentence is that Mr Foley is supervised by the Probation Service, and attends alcohol addiction and trauma treatment.

For one criminal damage charges, the judge imposed a sentence of three months, suspended for 18 months, while the other charge of criminal damage was taken into consideration.

Mr Foley was banned from driving for two years over the dangerous driving matter.

“You are very fortunate that you’re not going into custody. You need to do whatever is necessary to stay on the right side of the law,” said Judge Carroll.

“This man has experienced difficulties in his past and there has been quite some trauma in his family.”

Funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme.