Didn’t pay for fuel at Duleek station

A 33-year-old man has been sentenced to total of nine months imprisonment on charges of no insurance and driving off without paying for fuel.

Francis Lawrence, 4 Knightsfield Park, Dunsany, Co. Meath pleaded guilty to the offences.

Sgt Ray Brady gave evidence that at 5.11pm on 17 November last, at Great Gas service station, Drogheda Road, Duleek, the defendant put €20-worth of unleaded in his car and drove off.

Lawrence was later identified.

He has 52 previous convictions, among them eight for no insurance and one for a driveoff. He was also disqualified from driving for seven years in 2016.

The defendant is presently serving a five-month sentence for no insurance which was imposed in Trim on 10 April last.

A solicitor for Francis Lawrence said he is sorry for what happened. He intended to return to pay for the fuel but his wife needed to go to hospital. He was then afraid to go back.

‘He’s done this before,’ Judge Walsh noted.

For theft, a three-month sentence was imposed, consecutive to the Trim term; and for driving without insurance, Lawrence was sentenced to six months, consecutive to the three-month term.

He was also disqualified from driving for 20 years.

‘You might explain to him what disqualified means,’ the judge said to his solicitor.