Limerick man’s 93 year driving ban extened

by Andrew Carey

andrew@limerickpost.ie

A LIMERICK man who accumulated 93 years in driving bans told a judge that he will never drive again because he doesn’t want his infant son growing up thinking it’s “okay to visit daddy in prison”.

Jonathon Curtin (24) of Yeats Avenue, Kincora Park wrote to Judge Eugene O’Kelly after he admitted driving without insurance and giving a false name to Gardaí when he was stopped on Milford Road last April.

Curtin, who is due for release from prison next March, has over 150 previous convictions, the majority of which are for road traffic offences, 20 of which relate to driving without insurances and when he was stopped by Gardaí, he had already accumulated 93 years in driving bans.

Defence solicitor John Devane said his client had “scant regard” for driving laws in the past but after becoming a father for the first time, he felt it was time to turn a new leaf.

“He doesn’t want his son to think it’s okay to visit daddy in prison”, Mr Devane said.

After remarking that Mr Curtin had “little regard for the other daddies when he drove around uninsured”, Judge Eugene O’Kelly imposed a total of ten months in prison but suspended the sentence for two years to see if he was “serious about turning over a new leaf for his young son”.

He was also issued with a cumulative driving ban of 40 years to add to his already 93.