Jail sentence for uninsured Limerick motorist caught driving weeks after court conviction

A COUNTY Limerick woman was caught driving without insurance on two consecutive days just three weeks after she received suspended prison sentences for similar offences, a court has heard.

Gina Daly, aged 28, formerly of Kilmurry Lane, Feenagh was sentenced to four months' imprisonment after she pleaded guilty to multiple offences arising from detections over the summer.

At Newcastle West Court, she pleaded guilty to driving without insurance under Section 56 of the Road Traffic Act and to driving without a licence under Section 38 of the same act.

Inspector Barry Manton told the court that on June 26, Ms Daly was stopped by gardaí in the centre of Feenagh village and found to be driving without valid insurance or a licence. The following day, gardaí caught Ms Daly driving again at Kilmurry, Feenagh.

Insp Manton told the court that just over three weeks earlier, on June 3, Ms Daly had been convicted of several road traffic offences including driving without insurance and failing to produce a valid NCT. She received two suspended sentences and a number of fines.

Solicitor Michael O’Donnell, representing the accused, said his client has four young children and he told the court that Feenagh is a small village and that the bus service is “very poor”.

The solicitor said Ms Daly’s partner had been “highly abusive” around the time of the offences and that she had been "pressurised" to drive on occasion.

The solicitor said his client, who is a tenant of Focus Ireland, has since secured alternative accommodation and he requested an adjournment of the case to facilitate the preparation of a Probation Report.

However, Judge Carol Anne Coolican refused this request, saying she had “absolutely no option” but to impose a custodial sentence, given the facts of the case.

Ms Daly received prison sentences totalling six months with the final two months suspended.

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Separate theft charges, which Ms Daly also pleaded guilty to were taken into consideration by the judge.

Outlining the facts, Insp Manton said at approximately 11.30pm on June 26, a children’s go-kart, valued at €120, was stolen from outside from a house at The Forge, Feenagh. On the same date and in the same area, Ms Daly also stole a children’s bike.

Gardaí subsequently recovered the go-kart and the bike from her property.

Mr O’Donnell highlighted how Ms Daly had co-operated fully with the gardaí and that the stolen items had been returned.

"She took it, they were abandoned somewhat and she took them home," he told the court.

Ms Daly has lodged an appeal against the severity of the sentences imposed in relation to the road traffic offences.