10-month sentence for Bandon man's string of motoring offences

Accused, who was disqualified from driving,  had accumulated 35 previous convictions

Charlie Milner had accumulated 35 previous convictions and a 10-year driving ban, at just 21 years of age. Picture: Colin Keegan/Collins Dublin

A man has been jailed after racking up a string of motoring offences when already disqualified from driving, including smashing past a vehicle belonging to his ex-partner's brother in what the judge described as a "fraught" situation.

Charlie Milner, of 14 Inisorga, Curraclough in Bandon in Co Cork, had accumulated 35 previous convictions and a 10-year driving ban despite being aged just 21. Those included six previous convictions for driving with no insurance and seven for dangerous driving.

At Bandon

District Court[/url] he pleaded guilty to driving with no insurance and while intoxicated on April 16 last at Brinny near Bandon.

Sgt Trish O'Sullivan told Judge James McNulty that he was observed by gardaí driving dangerously at 12.30am before driving off, and 10 minutes later the car was found on its roof, having crashed. Charlie Milner was the driver and he was arrested on suspicion of drink-driving, with a later blood test proving he was over the limit.

The court heard he was also disqualified at the time.

However, while on temporary release from prison on July 21 last he then drove to Millstreet, telling the court he went there to give his ex-partner — who is mother to one of their children and currently pregnant — some money.

However, he said while there things "went downhill" and that he was "getting out of our heads" with others. Sgt O'Sullivan said that on that date his ex-partner's brother had been contacted and had gone into Millstreet. That man parked his car, partially blocking Mr Milner's vehicle into an estate. Mr Milner than accelerated past the car, damaging its bumper and wing mirror.

Mr Milner apologised in court and said he had "a proper drink problem".

"I want to be something different in the future," he said.

Judge McNulty noted that Mr Milner had received a 90-day suspended jail sentence in Mallow on July 5 and was driving while disqualified and under the influence in Millstreet just 16 days later, in what he said was a "fraught situation".

While gardaí downgraded the dangerous driving charge to one of careless driving, with Mr Milner pleading guilty to all charges across both dates, the judge described the offences as serious.

He sentenced him to a total of 10 months with various five month sentences to be served concurrently, but with the sentences for the offences on each date to be served consecutively. He also disqualified him from driving for nine years.