Courts / Dublin / Report

Mechanic repeatedly convicted of driving without insurance gets suspended jail sentence

Summary

A 35‑year‑old mechanic from Dublin, Declan Daly, was sentenced at Tallaght District Court for a 2019 incident where he allegedly drove a black VW minibus without insurance. Garda Dillon O'Malley stopped him for speeding on Old Military Road, Rathfarnham, and issued a summons after he failed to produce an insurance certificate within the statutory period. The certificate that was later provided covered garage work, not private driving, and did not cover the time of the offence. Daly claimed his employer had instructed him to take the van home for an NCT test, but the vehicle was registered in his name and no supporting documentation existed. Judge Patricia McNamara, noting Daly's 24 prior convictions—including five for driving without insurance—imposed a six‑month prison sentence suspended for two years on a €200 bond, a six‑year driving disqualification, a €600 fine, and a five‑month payment deadline.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Mechanic repeatedly convicted of driving without insurance gets suspended jail sentence. Procedural stage: hearing_or_decision

When:

• December 18, 2019 Incident
• May 2022 Incident
• April 2025 Incident
• 2025-05-21 Publication

Places mentioned

Topics

Stage Hearing Or Decision

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Read the original CNI report