Convicted killer stopped by Limerick gardai admits driving without insurance for 13th time

A CONVICTED killer has been handed a 15-year disqualification following his 13th conviction for driving without insurance.

Anthony Curtin, aged 26, of Railway House, Spitland, Limerick, pleaded guilty to not having insurance or a licence when stopped by gardaí on March 7, 2025. 

On this day, Inspector Pádraig Sutton said Mr Curtin was driving a Peugeot 308 along Childers Road when gardaí detected that the vehicle was not insured. He was also disqualified from driving at the time of this offence. 

When pulled over, Mr Curtin was co-operative and made full admissions to gardaí in regards to the insurance and driving licence offences. The car was subsequently seized. 

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The court also heard that the 26-year-old has 85 previous convictions, including seven for dangerous driving and one for dangerous driving causing death.

That offence occurred in Ballyneety on March 20, 2018 when the vehicle he was driving “vaulted into a field” and killed Gearoid Sheehy, aged 17.

Judge Peter White was told the 2025 offence was Mr Curtin's 13th conviction for driving without insurance, with the Limerick man’s solicitor, Joseph McMahon BL, noting the irony of receiving such a conviction on Friday-the-13th (of February). 

Mr Curtin is currently on remand in Limerick Prison for unrelated matters and is serving two other lengthy disqualifications.

In mitigation, Joseph McMahon BL asked Judge White to take into account that his client won’t be “at large” for a significant period of time. 

Upon hearing facts of the case, the judge commented that “culpability is high” and that his decision to drive without a licence or insurance was "willful behaviour"

He imposed the maximum sentence of six months' imprisonment, a 15-year disqualification.

A fine of €200 was imposed for the driving licence offence in lieu of a five-day prison term.