Judge jails banned Longford driver for three months after being caught at wheel without insurance for fifth time

Judge Bernadette Owens made the remarks while sentencing Rasa Gervickaite (36) 29 Gleann Riada, Longford at a sitting of Longford District Court last week to three months in prison after the Lithuanian national pleaded guilty to two counts of driving without insurance within barely a month of each other.

The court heard Ms Gervickaite had previously been banned from driving seven months previously and handed a four year driving disqualification for no insurance when she was stopped by Garda Paul Stuart on October 4, 2021.

On November 9, 2o21, Ms Gervickaite was stopped for a second time on the Connaught Road just before 10:30am.

When spoken to by gardaí Ms Gervickaite told officers she was aware she was a disqualified driver but had admitted to bringing her daughter to school.

The court was informed Ms Gervickaite had eight previous convictions to her name, four of which were for no insurance.

The most recent of those, Judge Owens was told, was recorded at Longford District Court the previous March for an offence in January 2020.

That resulted in a four year ban and a €250 fine.

Defending solicitor Frank Gearty accepted his client, who was in custody, prior to last Tuesday's court sitting was cognisant that this “day of reckoning was coming for a long time”.

Mr Gearty said Ms Gervickaite had previously fallen into bad company and had simply “confused” her need to work with misunderstanding the sanctions which had been imposed by various courts.

“She (Ms Gervickaite) had this 'I've got to get to work' belief and she just didn't believe there was consequences.”

Mr Gearty said it was his client's first taste of prison life and one she had been left “horrified” by.

He added Ms Gervickaite was a valuable contributor to society up to that juncture and could count successful spells as both a waitress and care worker as being among her former work roles.

Mr Gearty said Ms Gervickaite had also moved away from Longford and relocated to Tipperary where she had recently secured a job in a restaurant.

He said it was there that her past had finally caught up with her.

“Everything was going fine until she was discovered driving while disqualified and got a four month sentence in Clonmel last week,” he said, adding it was there Ms Gervickaite's “whole house of cards came down”.

He also appealed for the court not to extend Ms Gervickaite's time in custody prior to sentence being handed down.

Judge Owens said she was willing to give Ms Gervickaite the benefit of an early plea but said there was little option open to her but to impose a custodial sentence.

“The defendant has an appalling record of driving without insurance and while Mr Gearty has sought to put the best foot forward, it is beyond belief this lady didn't understand the consequences of driving given that she had four convictions for no insurance,” she said.

Judge Owens consequently sentenced Ms Gervickaite to a total of three months in prison.

A five month sentence was also handed down, suspended for a period of 18 months while a Section 38 charge of having no driving licence was taken into consideration.