Five-month prison sentence for serial motoring offender

A RECIDIVIST motoring offender, caught driving while already disqualified, was given a five-month prison sentence when his case was dealt with at a recent sitting of Monaghan District Court.

Deivydas Trakselis (24) and of Lithuanian nationality, with an address at Main Street, Emyvale, admitted driving uninsured and without a licence at Mullaghmonaghan, Monaghan Town on August 5 gone by.

Sergeant Lisa McEntee said the defendant had 22 previous convictions two of which were for driving uninsured.

Previous sentences had included driving disqualifications, the most lengthy of these being a five-year ban imposed in December of last year. On that occasion a five-month prison sentence was also imposed, but suspended for 24 months.

The sergeant agreed with Judge Raymond Finnegan that the suspended sentence could well be triggered by the offences now before the court.

Solicitor Roisin Courtney said her client was only driving on this occasion because he knew he couldn’t use the car any more and was trying to sell it.

It was accepted by Sgt McEntee that Trakselis was most co-operative, and that he told the gardaí himself that he was uninsured.

Having described the defendant’s record as “very poor”, however, Judge Finnegan imposed a five-month prison sentence for the insurance offence, along with a six-year driving disqualification.