Kerry judge sentences young man to nine months prison after ninth conviction of driving without insurance
The KerrymanA young man was sentenced to jail for his eight and ninth convictions for driving without insurance at Tralee District Court on Wednesday, March 18.
The court heard that Adeel Nawaz (20) of Castletreasure Grove, Castletreasure, Douglas, Cork struggled to attend appointments with probation services and avail of the opportunities offered to him.
“Eventually, that catches up with you,” said Judge David Waters.
Earlier this year, he convicted Mr Nawaz of driving without insurance on at Quil Street, Cloonmore on May 1, 2024 and driving without a licence and without insurance on November 26, 2025 at Clash West Tralee.
“This man is not co-operating,” said Judge Waters.
His solicitor, Pat Mann, noted his client was in full-time employment and had an appointment to attend services the following Monday, March 23.
“I asked that he might get to deal with it and honour it,” said Mr Mann.
The judge replied that he only to cooperate with probation services and stay out of trouble, noting he had adjourned the case on numerous occasions to give the defendant every chance.
Mr Nawaz came to the attention of gardaí on May 1 for driving without his seatbelt. The court struck out related driving charges from the date, including driving unaccompanied, driving without an L plate and failure to produce a licence.
Mr Nawaz had 24 previous convictions. In September 2025, he was given four months community service for driving without a licence in July 2024 and a four-year disqualification.
He had previously received suspended sentences, community service and the opportunity to work with probation services but, the judge noted, “all of them have been rejected”.
And so, he gave custodial sentences.
He sentenced Mr Nawaz to four months in prison with a four-year disqualification for driving without insurance on May 1, 2024.
He also sentenced Mr Nawaz to two, concurrent five-month terms in prison for the November offences. These will run consecutive to the first sentence and include a six-year and four-year disqualifications.
“I think no matter what bail I set on this, this man will continue to sit in a car and drive again,” said the judge. “If he’s found driving while disqualified again, there’s no way he should be brought in on a summons.”