A man charged with a series of road traffic offences in Milford while he was disqualified from driving has been placed under a curfew.
Lee Kennedy was brought before Letterkenny District Court in connection with the offences, alleged to have occurred in the early hours of Monday, February 17,
Kennedy, of Firmount, Milford was charged with three counts of dangerous driving as well as driving without insurance and driving without a driving licence.
The 35-year-old faces three charges of driving a vehicle in a manner (including speed) which having regard to all the circumstances of the case (including the condition of the vehicle, the nature, condition and use of such place and the amount of the traffic which then actually was or might reasonably be expected then to be therein) was dangerous to the public or was likely to be dangerous to the public.
The charge is contrary to section 53(1) of the Road Traffic Act, 1961 as substituted by section 4 of the Road Traffic (No. 2) Act 2011) and relates to incidents at Carrickybressil, Milford, the R245 in Milford and Gortmacoll, Milford.
Kennedy was also charged with two counts of having been the user of a mechanically propelled vehicle, such vehicle being one for which neither a vehicle insurer nor an exempted person would be liable for injury caused by the negligent use of said vehicle at that time and for which there was not then in force an approved policy of insurance as required by Part VI of the Road Traffic Act, 1961, as amended by Part VI of the Road Traffic Act, 1968, as amended.
The offences, at R245 Milford and Main Street, Milford are contrary to Section 56(1) & (3) Road Traffic Act 1961 as amended by Section 18 of the Road Traffic Act, 2006.
Kennedy was also charged with driving the vehicle without holding a driving licence.
He was further charged with using or engaging in threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour with intent to provoke a breach of the peace or being reckless as to whether a breach of the peace might have been occasioned, contrary to section 6 of the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act, 1994 as amended by Section 22 of the Intoxicating Liquor Act, 2008.
Sergeant Jim Collins told the court that Kennedy is disqualified from driving at the moment.
After an issue over a bail address was raised, Kennedy’s solicitor, Mr Rory O’Brien, said this amounted to a “gross exaggeration of this man’s liberty”.
Kennedy was remanded in custody with consent to bail on his own bond of €300, nil cash, and on condition that he not commit any further offence and be of good behaviour, he sign on at a Garda station three times a week, he observe a curfew from 11pm-7am and he refrain from driving.
Judge Éiteáin Cunningham reminded the accused that if he were caught driving while disqualified “certain things will flow”.
When he was subsequently brought before Falcarragh District Court by video link from prison, Kennedy was granted bail having obtained an address that was accepted by the gardai.