Driver caught texting behind the wheel was serving a 12-year driving ban
The driver had already been disqualified from driving for 12 years. Photo: An Garda Síochána
A van driver caught texting while driving in Co Kildare was already disqualified from driving for over decade.
As part of a national day of action focused on the offence of driving without insurance, gardaí across Kildare conducted targeted patrols and enforcement activities to catch culprits.
While on patrol on the N7, the Naas roads policing unit observed a van driver texting while driving.
The driver had already been disqualified from driving for 12 years. Photo: An Garda Síochána
Today's News in 90 Seconds - July 18th
Gardaí subsequently stopped the vehicle and following checks using the garda mobility device, they discovered that the driver was disqualified from driving for 12 years and had no driving licence or insurance.
The driver was arrested and brought to Naas Garda Station where they were charged.
They are due to appear before the courts in due course. The van was also seized under the Road Traffic Act.
"An Garda Síochána reminds all motorists of the serious consequences of driving without insurance or a valid licence,' said a garda spokesperson.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Sunday World
3 hours ago
- Sunday World
Drunk driver from Wexford who couldn't remember how he ended up in Co Donegal is jailed
Father-of-four Martin O'Brien appeared before Letterkenny District Court in Co Donegal charged with a number of offences A Co Wexford man who couldn't remember how he ended up drunk behind the wheel of a car at the other end of the country has been jailed for a total of eight months and put off the road for 10 years. Father-of-four Martin O'Brien appeared before Letterkenny District Court in Co Donegal charged with a number of offences. It comes after an incident on June 24th last when a member of the public reported a car being driven in an erratic manner in Letterkenny. Garda Sergeant Jim Collins told the court that O'Brien has 95 previous convictions and outlined the charges against the 43-year-old. The offences include public order, theft, dangerous driving and driving without insurance for which O'Brien had served some time in prison. Sgt Collins said Gardai received an anonymous call from a member of the public on the day after they saw a silver Vauxhall car being driven "all over the road" at Ballyraine in Letterkenny. The driver, a Martin O'Brien, of The Elms, Park Avenue, Gorey, Co Wexford, was arrested and brought to Letterkenny Garda Station. When in custody, Gardai discovered that O'Brien was not the owner of the car, he was not insured to drive the car and he also tested positive for alcohol. O'Brien was charged that at Lidl Carpark,Ballyraine, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal a public place in the said District Court Area of Letterkenny district no 1, while being a specified person as defined in section 3 of the Road Traffic Act 2010 as amended by section 9 of the Road Traffic (No. 2) Act 2011, did drive a mechanically propelled vehicle while there was present in your body a quantity of alcohol such that, within 3 hours after so driving, the concentration of alcohol in your blood did exceed a concentration of 20 milligrams of alcohol per 100 milliliters of blood, to wit 124 milligrams. The charge was Contrary to section 4(2)(b) & 4(5) of the Road Traffic Act 2010. He was also charged that on the same date and location he did unlawfully use a mechanically propelled vehicle without the consent of the owner or without other lawful authority. The charge was Contrary to Section 112 of the Road Traffic Act, 1961, (as amended by Section 65 of the Road Traffic Act, 1968, and as amended by Section 18 of the Road Traffic Act, 2006). O'Brien was also charged on the same date and place was the user of a mechanically propelled vehicle, such vehicle being one for which neither a vehicle insurer nor an exempted person would be liable for injury caused by the negligent use of said vehicle at that time and for which there was not then in force an approved policy of insurance as required by Part VI of the Road Traffic Act, 1961, as amended by Part VI of the Road Traffic Act, 1968, as amended. That charge was Contrary to Section 56(1) & (3) Road Traffic Act 1961 as amended by Section 18 of the Road Traffic Act, 2006. Solicitor for the accused, Mr Robert Ryan, told the court that his client had a long addiction to heroin and had been on a methadone programme when he previously came out of prison. He had turned to alcohol since but Mr Ryan said his client presented as a very different man from when he was arrested. He said O'Brien had suffered a number of tragedies in his life but was trying to get his life back on the straight and narrow. He added that on the day in question, O'Brien had little or no memory of the incidents and doesn't even know how he ended up in Co Donegal. The accused had put up his hands to the charges and now wanted to put them behind him. Judge Eiteain Cunningham sentenced O'Brien to a total of eight months in prison and also banned him from holding a driving licence for ten years. Stock image News in 90 Seconds - July 22nd
Irish Daily Mirror
3 hours ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Jail for drunk driver who couldn't remember how he ended up in different county
A Co Wexford man who couldn't remember how he ended up drunk behind the wheel of a car at the other end of the country has been jailed for a total of eight months and put off the road for 10 years. Father-of-four Martin O'Brien appeared before Letterkenny District Court in Co Donegal charged with a number of offences. It comes after an incident on June 24 last, when a member of the public reported a car being driven in an erratic manner in Letterkenny. Garda Sergeant Jim Collins told the court that O'Brien has 95 previous convictions and outlined the charges against the 43-year-old. The offences include public order, theft, dangerous driving and driving without insurance for which O'Brien had served some time in prison. Sgt Collins said Gardai received an anonymous call from a member of the public on the day after they saw a silver Vauxhall car being driven "all over the road" at Ballyraine in Letterkenny. The driver, a Martin O'Brien, of The Elms, Park Avenue, Gorey, Co Wexford, was arrested and brought to Letterkenny Garda Station. When in custody, Gardai discovered that O'Brien was not the owner of the car, he was not insured to drive the car and he also tested positive for alcohol. O'Brien was charged that at Lidl Carpark, Ballyraine, Letterkenny, Co Donegal a public place in the said District Court Area of Letterkenny district no 1, while being a specified person as defined in section 3 of the Road Traffic Act 2010 as amended by section 9 of the Road Traffic (No. 2) Act 2011, did drive a mechanically propelled vehicle while there was present in his body a quantity of alcohol such that, within three hours after so driving, the concentration of alcohol in his blood did exceed a concentration of 20 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood, to wit 124 milligrams. The charge was Contrary to section 4(2)(b) & 4(5) of the Road Traffic Act 2010. He was also charged that on the same date and location he did unlawfully use a mechanically propelled vehicle without the consent of the owner or without other lawful authority. The charge was Contrary to Section 112 of the Road Traffic Act, 1961, (as amended by Section 65 of the Road Traffic Act, 1968, and as amended by Section 18 of the Road Traffic Act, 2006). O'Brien was also charged - on the same date and place - with being the user of a mechanically propelled vehicle, such vehicle being one for which neither a vehicle insurer nor an exempted person would be liable for injury caused by the negligent use of said vehicle at that time and for which there was not then in force an approved policy of insurance as required by Part VI of the Road Traffic Act, 1961, as amended by Part VI of the Road Traffic Act, 1968. That charge was Contrary to Section 56(1) & (3) Road Traffic Act 1961 as amended by Section 18 of the Road Traffic Act, 2006. Solicitor for the accused, Mr Robert Ryan, told the court that his client had a long addiction to heroin and had been on a methadone programme when he previously came out of prison. He had turned to alcohol since but Mr Ryan said his client presented as a very different man from when he was arrested. He said O'Brien had suffered a number of tragedies in his life but was trying to get his life back on the straight and narrow. He added that on the day in question, O'Brien had little or no memory of the incidents and doesn't even know how he ended up in Co Donegal. The accused had put up his hands to the charges and now wanted to put them behind him. Judge Eiteain Cunningham sentenced O'Brien to a total of eight months in prison and also banned him from holding a driving licence for 10 years. Sign up to the Irish Mirror's Courts and Crime newsletter here and get breaking crime updates and news from the courts direct to your inbox.
Irish Examiner
a day ago
- Irish Examiner
Hospital arrangements made for 'flagrantly unwell' man accused of St Patrick's Day disturbance in Cork
A 36-year-old man who was described as 'flagrantly unwell' had his case adjourned again on Monday for arrangements to be made for his admission for hospital treatment. The case against Mbuku Desire who was living at an apartment at Clonliffe Road, Dublin, came to light arising out of a report of him causing a disturbance at Little Island on St Patrick's Day. On the application of Sergeant Gearóid Davis, Judge Mary Dorgan remanded the defendant in custody with consent to bail to July 31 for update in relation to the defendant's treatment and for an updated psychiatric report. It was previously alleged that gardaí were attempting to arrest a man on the busy platform of Little Island's railway station on March 17 when he ran through the crowd to get away from them. Garda Mary Gallagher charged 36-year-old Mbuku Desire with engaging in threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour likely to lead to a breach of the peace. Garda Gallagher said the alleged incident occurred at Little Island train station at Kilcoolishal, Glounthaune, County Cork, on St Patrick's Day. It was alleged that he ran along the railway platform at a time when it was busy with a lot of families out for the parades and celebrations. As well as the public order charge the defendant was charged under the Immigration Act with failing to produce on demand to a member of An Garda Síochána a valid passport or other equivalent document establishing his identity and nationality. Shane Collins-Daly, solicitor, said the defendant is a national of the Republic of Congo. Advanced nurse practitioner from the forensic psychiatric team at Clover Hill Prison, Philip Hickey, testified last month in relation to therapeutic bail when a person is stuck in the prison system with a mental disorder. The nature of such bail is that a person is brought by prison staff to a centre approved under the Mental Health Act as soon as a bed becomes available and is then returned by prison staff to prison following his treatment. In the present case, the availability of a bed is still awaited.
