Man jailed for eight months for dangerous driving in Ballyshannon

A District Court Judge has said the reason why so many young men were dying on the roads in Donegal was apparent in the “shocking” driving of a man at the Rory Gallagher Festival, last weekend.
35 year old Martin McGovern of Galbally Road, Dromore, Co Tyrone was jailed yesterday for eight months and banned from driving for 10 years for motoring offences after pleading guilty at Ballyshannon District Court.
The court heard the defendant had previously escaped from Loughan House for previous motoring matters in 2004 and was now in custody for these matters, due for release in August.
The 35 year old pleaded guilty to a charge of dangerous driving at Carrickboy, Ballyshannon on June 2nd, refusing to give a specimen sample, having no licence, and driving with no insurance.
Related charges of dangerous driving at Finner and Portnason, on the same date were struck out.
Superintendent Colm Nevin said gardai observed a silver car driving from Ballyshannon to Bundoran with no lights at Finner at 10.45pm, they pursued the vehicle as it headed back to Ballyshannon at speed.
The court heard that the silver car narrowly avoided a taxi, crashing into railings close to several people at the festival.
Defence solicitor Gerry McGovern said what his client had done was “utter madness”.
Judge Kevin Kilraine sentenced McGovern to four months on the refusal charge, a further four on the dangerous driving charge and a four month concurrent sentence for driving with no insurance.
The charge of having no licence was taken into consideration.