A Limerick man has been jailed for six months and banned from driving for four years after pleading guilty to a litany of road traffic offences.
John Dundon, Hyde Road, Limerick, was stopped by gardaí on ten occasions last month at various locations in Limerick city and Roscrea Co Tipperary for driving with no insurance.
The 29-year-old was stopped six times in different parts of Limerick city on August 8th last but failed to produce an insurance certificate to gardaí within the required time frame.
He was also convicted at Limerick District Court yesterday of drug driving and using threatening and abusive language towards gardaí, on October 13th last year.
The father of two, who was granted bail on September 16th last when he first appeared in court on the charges, had his bail revoked at a special court sitting last Sunday after he was found to have breached his 11pm to 8am curfew eight times.
Before imposing the jail sentence yesterday Judge Tom O’Donnell said it was “manifestly clear” that Mr Dundon had no regard for road traffic laws, and despite being stopped by gardaí six times on one day alone, he continued to drive knowing he had no insurance.
The Judge said he “fundamentally disagreed” that the accused was penalised because he had his bail revoked and said he had breached his curfew on the day he was admitted to bail and “before the ink was even dry” on the bail bond.
The court heard that Mr Dundon was also stopped by gardaí for driving with no insurance in Roscrea, Co Tipperary, once on September 5th last and also on August 6th last.
Inspector Pat Connolly gave evidence of a public order incident, which occurred on October 13th last year after Mr Dundon was observed by gardaí drinking with a number of people in the Delmege Park area of Moyross before getting into his car.
When stopped by Garda Niall O’Connor the 29-year became abusive and called the garda: “a little Muppet”, the court heard.
Defence solicitor Sarah Ryan described the manner in which the offences were dealt with as unusual and said the majority of road traffic offences were usually dealt with by way of summons.
She said her client was pleading guilty to all of the charges and said he had only one previous conviction under the Road Traffic Act seven years ago.
Bail was granted in the event of an appeal on Dundon’s own bond of €250 and an independent surety of €2,500.
He was also ordered to surrender his British and Irish passports in the name of John Dundon and John McCarthy to gardaí.