Wexford District Court: Teenager refusing to give sample, motorist on cocaine and jail for dangerous driving
Wexford PeopleA number of road traffic matters including refusal to provide samples and dangerous driving offences were before Gorey District Court recently with Judge John Cheatle presiding.
Disqualification for refusal to provide sample
Two men received lengthy driving disqualifications after refusing to provide samples to Gardaí.
A 19-year-old Wicklow man was disqualified from driving for four years and fined €400 in connection with a refusal to provide a blood sample on July 28 2025.
Garda Downes gave evidence that on the day in question he observed a vehicle travelling at speed, before it turned left without indicating. Garda Downes subsequently stopped the vehicle being driven by Ryan Austin (19) of Croneyhorn, Carnew, Wicklow, who refused to provide an oral sample at the roadside.
Austin was arrested and conveyed to the garda station where he further refused to provide a blood sample.
Counsel for the accused informed the court that Austin had left school after 5th year and has been working ever since. He highlighted that the defendant drives as part of his employment and also operates machinery on his grandfather’s farm that he would require his licence for.
Judge Cheatle imposed a four year disqualification and a €300 fine giving four months to pay.
In similar circumstances, Dylan Wall (29) of Redshire Road, Kildavin Lower, Murrintown, Wexford, was before the court in connection with an offence of refusal to provide a sample on March 6 2025.
Garda Downes informed the court that on the day in question he observed the vehicle being driven by Wall turn off the road at The Paddocks, Gorey, without indicating. Once stopped, Wall provided Garda Downes with a learner’s permit and was not accompanied by a qualified driver. A roadside oral fluid test was carried out which returned a positive result for the presence of cocaine.
Wall was arrested and taken to the garda station where he refused to give a blood sample stating that he did not like needles.
Judge Cheatle imposed a four year driving disqualification and a €400 fined allowing six months to pay.
Prison sentence for dangerous driving
A Gorey man received a 10 month prison sentence in connection with a series of dangerous driving charges that occurred from the M11 throughout Gorey.
Garda Cahill informed the court that on October 21 2024 he was conducting a speed check on the M11 when he received an ANPR alert indicating a vehicle had no tax, insurance, or NCT. Garda Cahill pursued the vehicle reaching speeds of 200kmh to catch up to the black Ford Focus being driven by Michael Gavin (31) of Newbridge, Camolin, Gorey.
The garda outlined to the court how the accused committed a series of dangerous driving manoeuvers including overtaking a vehicle on the right hand side, and swerving across two lanes of traffic. The car driven by Gavin took the exit towards Gorey where he collided into the back of another car at the Raheengurren roundabout. Gavin did not remain at the scene and continued to Knockduff where the vehicle turned across the road into a farmland and swerved out of control.
Gavin then exited the car and attempted to flee on foot but was apprehended by members of An Garda Síochána. The defendant was arrested and conveyed to the garda station where he was drug tested which returned negative results.
Gardaí informed the court Gavin has 61 previous convictions with the majority being for road traffic offences and was currently serving a 15-year disqualification at the time. He had also previously served a prison sentence at the Midlands for dangerous driving offences.
Lana Doherty, solicitor for the accused, told the court her client had experienced a turbulent childhood and had been placed in care after he lost both parents in tragic circumstances. Ms Doherty stated that at the time of the incident her client was driving without insurance and without a licence due to the disqualification and simply panicked.
The solicitor asked the court to consider ordering a probation report, however Judge Cheatle said the in-car Garda footage played was “one of the worst I’ve seen.” The Judge imposed a 10-month prison sentence and a ten-year driving disqualification along with a further five month sentence suspended for two years.
Gavin opted to appeal the decision. The matter will be heard before the next sittings of district court appeals at Wexford circuit court.
Prison sentence back dated for road traffic offences
A man entered pleas of guilty to various road traffic offences, including no insurance, no licence, and careless driving on August 26 2023, no insurance and no left front light on April 8 2025, and no insurance, no licence, no NCT, failure to display disc, no seatbelt, and child passenger not wearing a seatbelt on May 28 2025.
Lana Doherty, solicitor for Ion Graure (40) of 33 Drumgold Villas, Enniscorthy, Wexford, informed the court that Graure is a Romanian national who had previously been arrested on foot of a European arrest warrant. This matter was recently settled before the High Court with the accused consenting to extradition. Ms Doherty outlined that the accused will serve a sentence of two years and three months in Romania but this could not proceed until district court matters were finalised.
The solicitor asked the court to backdate any sentence imposed so that Graure may be sent to Romania to serve his sentence rather than serving a sentence in Ireland prior to this.
Judge Cheatle imposed a four month sentence which he backdated to September 18 2025, and a further four month sentence suspended for two years along with a six year driving ban.