A notorious young Letterkenny criminal has been fined a total of €1,500 after appeairng in court on a series of driving offences.
Matthew Lafferty
Matthew Lafferty, 21, is currently in jail and is not due out until June, 2017.
He appeared before Letterkenny District Court yesterday charged with a range of offences from giving a false name to driving without tax and insurance.
Lafferty was stopped by Gardai on two occasions in both Letterkenny and Stranorlar on July 23rd and 24th earlier this year.
On both occasions he gave the name and address of his brother Shane to Gardai.
He undertook to give his tax and insurance details to Gardai within ten days but failed to do so.
Lafferty pleaded guilty both offences when he appeared in handcuffs before Judge Pul Kelly yesterday.
Solicitor Patsy Gallagher said he had known Lafferty for a number of years and could honestly say he was now trying to make an effort behind bars.
He was working on the landing of his prison and also in the kitchen at times.
He also revealed he was the subject of a serious incident in the prison which had disturbed him greatly and which was currently under investigation.
Mr Gallagher said he saw for the first time that father-of-one Lafferty is trying to mend his ways and find a path in life for himself.
Judge Paul Kelly asked Lafferty what he was doing to better his life and to change.
Lafferty replied “I’m doing the time amn’t I?”
Judge Kelly told the accused that it was unfortunate that he was in prison but that it was himself that was responsible for putting himself there.
The court heard that the incidents occurred when Lafferty was already out on bail for other offences.
He fined him a total of €1,500 for the driving offences and also disqualified him from driving for two years.