A year in jail for dangerous driver

Drove at speed through Blayney during Muckno Mania festival

A 23-YEAR-OLD driver, who attempted to evade gardaí at speed during a busy festival in Castleblayney, was given prison sentences amounting to 12 months at a recent sitting of Monaghan District Court, and told by Judge Raymond Finnegan that he was lucky he didn’t kill somebody.

Ryan Myles of New Houses, Tyholland, Co Monaghan, and also with an address at Seaview, Ballygasson, Dunleer, Co Louth, pleaded guilty to three counts of dangerous driving, at Market Square, West Street and Main Street, Castleblayney, following an incident that occurred shortly after midday on Sunday July 12 of this year.

The court had been told that the streets were busy, with many people out and about including children, as this was during the weekend of the popular, family-orientated ‘Muckno Mania’ festival.

Myles also admitted that he stole diesel worth €181.99 in total from filling stations in Newbliss and outside Monaghan Town earlier that morning and on the day before.

Three further counts of dangerous driving, as gardaí followed his car out of Castleblayney, were withdrawn by the prosecution in view of the guilty pleas. These alleged incidents were recorded in the townlands of Drumillard, Moraghy and Muldrumman.

DIESEL THEFTS

Sergeant Lisa McEntee said the first of the offences before the court had occurred on the evening of Saturday July 11, when the 2013 BMW being driven by Mr Myles entered the forecourt of McNally’s Centra in Newbliss and filled up with diesel worth €94.48. It then left at speed in the direction of Clones after no attempt was made to pay for the fuel.

A few hours later, on July 12, a similar diesel theft occurred at McNally’s service station, Dunsinaire, on the Cootehill Road out of Monaghan Town, when the same BMW drove away after topping up with diesel to the value €87.51.

At 12:15pm on the afternoon of Sunday July 12, gardaí observed a car travelling along Castleblayney’s Muckno Street and entering the Market Square. This vehicle, the BMW, then took off at speed, dangerously overtaking a number of vehicles and proceeding on to West Street and then Main Street, where it went through a red light. But a clear view of the driver was obtained, and he was identified as being Ryan Myles.

CHILDREN ON STREET

Sgt McEntee pointed out that this driving episode occurred during the daytime, and on the weekend of ‘Muckno Mania’, which meant there were a lot of pedestrians in the town including children.

Judge Finnegan was told that Myles had 106 previous convictions, the most recent handed down at Dundalk District Court in May 2025 when he was disqualified from driving for four years for driving without a licence.

Some other convictions were outlined, including an incident that involved possession of knives, possession of stolen property, burglary and theft, and for which consecutive sentences were given at Monaghan District Court in June 2024.

Solicitor Roisin Courtney emphasised that many of the previous offences were actually committed when her client was a juvenile. She said Ryan would have had a “troubled background”. However, he is now father to a five-month-old baby and is very keen to get out of custody and start looking after his child. Ms Courtney also noted that the accused had been in prison on these matters since July 16, and asked that credit be given in this respect for time already served. But Judge Finnegan pointed out that the charges before the court were serious. He said the defendant was in fact lucky he didn’t seriously injure or kill someone during the incident in Castleblayney, especially given the amount of people around at the time. It also had to be borne in mind that he had been driving while already disqualified.

Consecutive three-month prison terms were given for each of the diesel thefts, and for the dangerous driving at West Street and at Main Street, coming to 12 months in total. Concurrent 10-year driving disqualifications were imposed for the dangerous driving.

Recognisances were set for appeal of the sentences, but with a requirement that €750 be lodged in cash by an independent surety.