Laois labourer gets suspended sentence for no insurance

A local labourer has been hit with a suspended jail sentence and is off the road for six years after being caught behind the wheel in Portlaoise while banned from driving.

Joseph Conroy, aged 43, of 5 Roundwood, Mountrath, appeared in Portlaoise District Court after being stopped on May 7 on Grattan St in Portlaoise on May 7 this year. He had no insurance or driving licence on that date.

The case had been held over from a previous hearing to clarify previous convictions but the accused’s solicitor said his client accepts the records are correct.

Garda Sgt JJ Kirby outlined some of these. He said that on September 29, 2021, Mr Conroy was banned from driving for four years for driving without insurance. He was fined on the same date at Portlaoise District Court for having no licence.

He was also before the courts for no insurance in February 2018 and for drink driving in 2007.

In defence, Mr Philip Meagher said he client was not aware that he was disqualified though the solicitor admitted to the judge “it doesn’t make any sense”.

Mr Meagher said his client normally travels in a van to work but on that morning could not get to work and decided to drive.

He said the accused, who is a separated father with five children, understood what he has done had put him in ‘severe jeopardy’.

He said his client lives in a rural area six miles from Mountrath. The Judge was told Mr Conroy apologised for his actions and said it would not happen again.

However, the judge said it was Mr Conroy’s third disqualification and so convicted him of driving with no insurance, Judge Cody imposed a three-month jail sentence suspended for three years. He banned him from driving for six years. He also imposed a €750 fine. He was also banned for six years and fined €250 for driving without a licence.