Serial drink driver banned from the road for 20 years

Handed 15 months in jail sentences

A 35-YEAR-OLD Czech national living in Monaghan was given consecutive prison sentences amounting to 15 months, along with a 20-year driving ban, when he pleaded guilty at Monaghan District Court to a series road traffic offences including drink driving on two occasions.

In passing sentence on Tomas Sevcik with an address at Coill Darach, Castleblayney, Judge Raymond Finnegan remarked that he had “an appalling record”. The court had been told by Inspector Declan McGarvey that Sevcik had 29 previous convictions, and he outlined some more recent offences that had included road traffic and public order breaches.

Sevcik had received two consecutive five-month sentences last September in relation to driving uninsured and while exceeding the alcohol limit on the previous March, along with a 10-year disqualification at that point.

Other previous convictions picked up in 2023 and 2024 included possession of an article with intent to cause injury, engaging in threatening behaviour and obstructing a garda.

The offences pleaded to at the most recent court hearing included being drunk in charge, and having no insurance and no driving licence at Ard na Lurgan, Castleblayney, on November 17 of last year (notwithstanding the 10 months’ prison sentence imposed in September).

Sevcik also admitted to driving with excess alcohol when stopped in a 2009-registered Jaguar XF at Castleblayney Road, Ballybay, on July 25, 2025; and to having no insurance, licence nor motor tax on the same occasion.

It was accepted too that he had no tax on a 2006 Audi A4 at Monaghan Road, Drumillard Little, Castleblayney, on St Patrick’s Day last year, and that he had no insurance nor licence and failed to produce those documents in respect of a 2016 VW Jetta he was driving at Castleblayney’s Conabury Hill on March 3, 2025.

Judge Finnegan told Niall Fox, solicitor, that his client had an appalling record. Mr Fox agreed and conceded that the judge was “far too familiar” with the defendant. But most of the offences now before the court had occurred inside a short space of time. He described Sevcik as a Czech national who was in this country for a number of years during which time he worked at several different factories and jobs.

Sevcik knew his record was very bad but wanted to deal with everything now, the solicitor said, adding that he was aware that the “writing was on the wall”.

Imposing consecutive five-month prison sentences for being drunk in charge at Castleblayney on November 17, drink driving at Ballybay on July 25, and having no insurance at Castleblayney on March 4, Judge Finnegan also imposed concurrent driving disqualifications amounting to 20 years.

He confirmed to Mr Fox that this meant his client, who was already in custody on a separate matter, had been given a fresh 15-month sentence.

A further count alleging that the defendant was drunk in charge of a vehicle at Tullynagrow, Castleblayney was deferred to an upcoming hearing.