A PANEL beater caught driving without insurance on three occasions had been afraid to come to court because he feared being jailed, a court has heard.
andris Vevers (36) lived in his car for some time after he was made homeless, and he had no money to pay for insurance, his solicitor said.
Defence solicitor Fiona D’Arcy said Vevers had spent some time in custody on the charges and he had not turned up to court because was afraid of going back to jail.
Judge Dermot Dempsey fined Vevers a total of €1,550, disqualified him from driving for eight years and imposed a six-month sentence, which he suspended for two years.
The defendant, of Abbeylea Avenue in Swords, admitted driving without insurance or a driving licence in Lusk village on December 29, 2020, on the R132 Lissenhall on May 22, 2019, and at Lissenhall again on October 18, 2019.
He also admitted failing to turn up to court.
The court heard Vevers had 14 previous convictions, mostly for road traffic matters.
Ms D’Arcy said Vevers was homeless and living in his car at the time of these offences, and could not afford to pay for insurance. She said Vevers was now working as a panel beater, had a place to live and was doing much better.
Ms D’Arcy asked the judge not to jail Vevers, as he feared he would have to start again if he went to prison.
She also said that Vevers had not come to garda attention since these incidents.
