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44-year old 'joyrider' escapes jail 16.05.07

A man who spent his 44th Birthday in Carn court yesterday received a ten-month suspended prison term for the unauthorised taking of a car in Moville.
John Gray, 3 Waterfront House, Pearse Road, Letterkenny, pleaded guilty to the offence and to having no insurance on January 7th, 2006.
The court heard that the Scots-born defendant, an alcoholic with 45 previous convictions in Britain, had been drinking in Moville on the date in question.
Around 4am, he came to the attention of Gardai who took his car keys to prevent him driving. They then had to attend to a 'more urgent' incident, the court heard. Around 9.30am, Gray, walked into the unlocked garage of Bill Bergin, Carnagarve, Moville and found the keys in the ignition of a 1989 white Vauxhall Astra. He drove off in the car intending to go to Letterkenny, collect his spare keys and go back to collect his own car.
Gardai later found the Astra written-off in Burt after it collided with a crash barrier. The defendant was arrested as he walked around the scene of the accident.
Judge Desmond Zaidan remarked that he was a little mature to be a 'joyrider' but gave him credit for his guilty plea and the fact that he was honest with the Probation and Welfare Services about his previous convictions in Britain. He had no previous convictions in the Republic of Ireland. He remarked that the defendant, a single unemployed man, had come from a 'dysfunctional family' affected by alcohol abuse. He said he appreciated that the defendant had made many efforts throughout the years to stay sober but he said he also had a duty to protect the public. Defence solicitor Patricia Dorrian pleaded on her client's behalf saying his licence was "essential to his sobriety".
The judge imposed a ten-month prison term, suspended for two years on the defendant's own bond of €2,000 and on condition that he keep the peace and remain under the supervision of the probation services for 18-months. He disqualified him from driving for five years but suspended the ban on the same conditions. He warned the defendant that if he committed even the slightest offence in the intervening period, he would be off the road and would serve the prison term. He also ordered that €1,000 in compensation be paid to Mr. Bergin and that a €1,000 donation be given within six months to Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children in Dublin.

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