A motorcyclist who drove at speeds of up to 135 m.p.h. between Ardee and Ashbourne on a busy Sunday afternoon was given a six-month suspended prison sentence, fined £4,500 and disqualified from driving for five years yesterday.
James O'Reilly (32), a newsagent, The Newsbox, Main Street, Athboy, Co Meath, was convicted at Dunshaughlin Court on May 18th on nine charges of dangerous driving and one of criminal damage to a Garda car. He was remanded on bail for pre-sentence reports by Judge John Brophy.
But having read a probation and welfare service report on the defendant yesterday, Judge Brophy said a phrase in the report had indicated O'Reilly got "a buzz from doing a high speed" on his motorcycle.
He sentenced him to six months in prison for driving at 135 m.p.h. at Coolfore, Ashbourne, and disqualified him from driving for five years. He fined him £500 on each of nine other charges and imposed concurrent driving bans on him. A record of all 10 offences will be endorsed on his driving licence.
The judge fixed personal bail of £1,000 and an independent surety of £2,000 in the event of an appeal.