'When is he going to cop on to himself?', Laois Judge asks

A suspended sentence was handed down to a kitchen porter who drove while uninsured. 

Stephen Ward (49) of 73 Rossvale, Portlaoise admitted having no licence or insurance and driving as a learner unaccompanied on the N80 at Rossleighan, Portlaoise on February 2, 2024.

Garda Patrick McGee gave evidence of stopping the defendant in a 141KE registered car at 11.30pm on the date in question. He said the defendant had 44 previous convictions including a number for no insurance. 

Judge Andrew Cody noted the offence would be his eighth conviction for no insurance.

Solicitor Barry Fitzgerald said his client worked in a hotel as a kitchen porter. He said the man was supporting a family but shouldn’t have been behind the wheel. 

“He shouldn’t have taken the risk,” he said as he asked the court to “do its best” for the man. 

“When is he going to cop on to himself?” Judge Cody asked. 

Mr Fitzgerald said “he gets the bus every day.” 

“This was just a silly flippant decision he made,” he added. 

Judge Cody sentenced the man to three months in prison suspended for three years. He fined him a total of €1,000 and imposed a two year driving ban.