Motorist with 'abysmal' record jailed at Longford District Court for dangerous driving

A driver with an 'abysmal' record which included five dangerous driving and three no insurance offences, was jailed for five months last week for a raft of driving-related offences.

Martin Doyle of Bay 1 Halting Site, Tuam Road, Galway, pleaded guilty at Longford District Court to dangerous driving, driving without insurance and a licence, a public order breach and a refusal to give a blood sample on May 12, 2024.

Sgt Enda Daly said Gardaí received a report of a motorist acting suspiciously and Garda Eamon Fitzpatrick observed a Volkswagen Golf drive at speed from the car wash towards the forecourt.

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"A number of males alighted from this vehicle and Garda Fitzpatrick observed a male, he identified as the defendant, attempt to jump from the front driver's seat of the vehicle to the back seat."

Sgt Daly said Garda Fitzpatrick had to 'seek assistance' as Mr Doyle engaged in threatening and abusive behaviour towards Gardaí and upon speaking to the defendant, he could see his eyes were dilated and he appeared to be under the influence of a controlled substance.

The defendant was arrested on suspicion of drug driving but he refused to give a blood sample to the designated doctor at Longford Garda Station and he was subsequently charged.

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A demand was also made to Mr Doyle to present his insurance cert and driving licence at a garda station of his choice, but he failed to do so.

The defendant is currently in custody having been recently sentenced to 12-months in prison for an unrelated matter with his release date set for February 2026.

Sgt Daly said Mr Doyle has a large number of previous convictions and he was disqualified for three years for dangerous driving on August 14, 2024.

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Sgt Daly said on February 14, 2023 the defendant received a three month prison sentence, which was suspended for 18 months for driving without insurance or a driving licence and possession of drugs on January 11, 2022.

Mr Doyle also received a two year road ban for driving without insurance on December 5, 2020 and he was sentenced to 150 hours of community service in January 2023 for four counts of dangerous driving on May 13, 2021.

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Mr Doyle was also convicted of driving without insurance on June 10, 2021.

Solicitor John Quinn accepted his client has a 'pretty dismal record' but he said at the time of the offences he was suffering from some medical difficulties and he was receiving medical attention.

Mr Quinn said Mr Doyle is trying to put all of these matters behind him and his mother was in court supporting him.

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"They are hoping when he puts this behind him and gets out that he will have some work in Galway."

Judge Bernadette Owens noted Mr Doyle's guilty plea but stated his record was 'abysmal' and he had been given opportunities such as community service orders and a suspended sentence previously.

She imposed a seven month prison sentence, which is to run concurrently, for the dangerous driving offence and a €250 fine for the driving without insurance offence.

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Judge Owens handed down a five month consecutive prison sentence, which is to begin when his current sentence is completed, for his refusal to provide a blood sample.
Judge Owens also imposed a 10 year driving ban.

She noted his suspended sentence had been triggered on February 22, 2023 and she requested a probation report to assess whether that jail term should be handed down as a concurrent or a consecutive sentence.