Appeal court upholds suspended sentences for Dundalk driver

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

The Court of Appeal refused the Director of Public Prosecutions’ application to review the sentences imposed on Jarlath Higgins, finding they were not unduly lenient.

Higgins pleaded guilty in Dundalk Circuit Court on 4 May 2017 to one count of criminal damage and two counts of dangerous driving.

At a sentencing hearing on 18 October 2017, he received a fully suspended two-year prison term and a three-year driving disqualification for criminal damage. For the dangerous driving counts, he received a fully suspended five-month term and a two-year driving disqualification. The prison sentences were to run concurrently, and three other counts were taken into consideration.

The court said suspending the sentences fell within the sentencing judge’s discretion in light of Higgins’ lack of previous convictions and other substantial mitigating circumstances. It described the ultimate sentence for dangerous driving as very lenient, but not unduly lenient.

Mr Justice Edwards delivered the Court of Appeal judgment on 5 October 2018.