Had a false Ukraine licence

A Ukraine national caught in possession of a false Ukraine driving licence was sentenced to three months and disqualified from driving for three years when he pleaded guilty to the offence at a sitting of Cavan District Court. Martin Veits, 73 Ardkeen, Cavan town, was also fined €350 and given a concurrent two-year disqualification for having no insurance on his vehicle at Kinnypottle, Cavan, on June 8. He was also fined €500 and disqualified from driving for two years for driving with excess alcohol 116/100 blood at Drumalee on December 12, 2008. Garda Una Comaskey said she stopped a car being driven by the defendant. She demanded his driving licence and a certificate of insurance. He produced an international driving licence and said his real licence was at home. Garda Comaskey followed the defendant back to his home. The defendant produced a Ukraine driving licence. Garda Comaskey was not happy that it was a genuine licence and she took possession of it. She sent it away to the Garda Technical Bureau to be examined and it turned out to be false. Cross-examined by Ms Brid Mimnagh, solicitor defending, witness said the defendant was adamant that the licence was genuine. Detective Sergeant Ray Jackman from the Garda Technical Bureau said he received the licence, which purported to be Ukrainian. The licence was not genuine and turned out to be counterfeit. In evidence the defendant said he got the licence in Ukraine from the police. When he came to Ireland he used it to get his car insured. He went back to the Ukraine to try and get documentation to prove the licence was genuine. "I genuinely believed the licence was genuine," he said. Judge Sean MacBride said he was going to convict and he was satisfied that the defendant told a tissue of lies. "I don't believe he was provided with a false driver's licence by police in his own country."