Kingscourt man gets three months’ jail and six-year driving ban

A Kingscourt man, caught driving with excess drugs for a second time, and while uninsured a fourth time, was given a three-month prison sentence and put off the road for six years when the matter came before Monaghan District Court.

Jake Gaynor (23) of Dublin Road, Kingscourt, Co Cavan, pleaded guilty to driving with drugs in his system, and to having no insurance on a car, at Drummond Otra, Carrickmacross, on February 11, 2025.

Sergeant Lisa McEntee said the defendant’s Volkswagen Golf was stopped by Garda Bernadette Gaynor at 7:22pm on that date. A roadside drugs test was carried out on Mr Gaynor, who was an unaccompanied learner driver. This proved positive for cocaine, and while in custody he also admitted that he had no insurance.

The sergeant confirmed that Gaynor had three previous convictions for having no insurance and one for driving while over the drugs limit. She noted that at Cavan District Court last February he was disqualified for two years and fined €400 for dangerous driving, disqualified for one year for driving with drugs in his system on that occasion, and disqualified for five years and given a five-month suspended prison sentence, both for having no insurance in relation to the same incident. A €200 fine had been given for having no driving licence.

Barrister Sara Brennan said it was accepted that her client had “a very poor record”. But he had a good work history and currently worked as a plasterer. Before that he did vehicle recovery work but was unable to continue in that role while disqualified from driving.

Counsel said her client was admitting that he had a problem with cocaine, and his instructions were that he had been in contact with a clinic in Co Mayo about the issue and was on a waiting list to be admitted to that facility.

Judge Michael Connellan remarked that the clinic mustn’t have made much of an impression on Mr Gaynor if he couldn’t even remember its name.

Ms Brennan said she was asking the court to give her client credit for having been most co-operative and making full admissions in this case. He had been stopped in February and hadn’t come to any attention in the meantime, she noted.

Imposing the three-month prison term for the insurance offence, Judge Connellan also handed down a six-year driving disqualification on that count. A concurrent two-year ban was given for the drug driving, with recognisances in the event of any appeal set at €100 cash.