Driver who had a ‘record’ 326 convictions gets ban of 25 years
A DRUNK driver with a ‘record’ 326 previous convictions has been jailed for four months consecutive to the sentence he’s currently serving, and banned from driving for 25 years.
James Connors is the older brother of the late ‘Fat’ Andy Connors, the Tallaght-based criminal who was murdered in August 2014.
Hearing that Connors has 326 previous convictions, Judge David McHugh said: ‘It would appear to be a record of some type or kind, I would imagine.’
Connors, 60, of The Avenue, Belgard Heights, Tallaght, admitted to drunk driving, dangerous driving and having no insurance at the Aldi Car park, Newlands Cross, Clondalkin, on June 14, 2017.
He also admitted to having no insurance at the Maldron Hotel car park, Newlands Cross, on April 5, 2017.
Sergeant Maria Callaghan told the court that at 1.05am on June 14, 2017, gardaí responded to a report that a man was intoxicated in the car park of Aldi at Newlands Cross.
When the gardaí arrived they saw Connors turning the key in the ignition of his car. He had an open bottle of beer in the car beside him. Sgt Callaghan said Connors then drove off at speed onto Fonthill Road causing other drivers to take evasive action before breaking a red light at Boot Road.
She said Connors was arrested on suspicion of drink driving and remained aggressive and abusive throughout the period of his detention. Sgt Callaghan said an analysis of a sample of urine given by Connors returned a reading of 235mg per 100ml.
On April 5, 2017, Connors was stopped in the car park of the Maldron Hotel, at Newlands Cross. Sgt Callaghan said Connors gave a false name and address and was arrested.
She said Connors had 326 previous convictions and he is currently serving a two-year sentence for burglary imposed at Dublin Circuit Court on December 13 last.
Sgt Callaghan said that Connors has 23 previous convictions for having no insurance, going back to 2014.
Connors’ defence lawyer Jennifer Jackson said the convictions were mainly for road traffic offences.
She said her client had been homeless at the time of the incidents, adding that Connors’ son committed suicide last year.
She said Connors had been living in his car at the time. Ms Jackson said her client is a chronic alcoholic and had fallen off the wagon.
Judge McHugh told Ms Jackson: ‘He was very intoxicated and he was engaged in dangerous driving.
‘But for fate, it could have been an awful lot more serious’.
Sgt Callaghan said that Connors was due for release on May 16, 2019.
Judge McHugh sentenced Connors to four months’ jail to run consecutive to the sentence he is currently serving, with a six-year road ban for having no insurance.
He also fined him €200, with a twoyear ban for the dangerous driving, €500 with a 20-year ban for the first incident of having no insurance and €500 with a 25-year ban for the second dangerous driving charge.
All of Connors’ driving bans are concurrent.
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Had an open bottle of beer with him