Prison time for men found asleep and drunk in car

TWO men discovered asleep and intoxicated in a stolen car with alcohol in their system, were handed prison sentences at Blanchardstown District Court.

James Connolly (36), with an address of Old Church Crescent, Clondalkin, appeared in court in custody, as he is currently serving a separate two-year sentence.

His co-accused Denis Potjomkins (32), Castleview Park, Finnstown, Lucan, also appeared in court.

Garda Jennifer Finnegan told the court that on April 23, 2024, she observed an Audi car not moving at traffic lights and when she approached the vehicle, found the driver Mr Connolly and the passenger Mr Potjomkins asleep.

Upon opening the door garda Finnegan noticed a “strong smell of cannabis” and empty alcohol containers in the vehicle.

The Audi was identified as a stolen car, taken the previous night in Enfield, Co Meath.

James Connolly was “slurring his words”, arrested under section 112 of the Road Traffic Act and conveyed to Leixlip Garda Station where he refused to provide a blood/urine sample at the station.

The court heard Mr Connolly has 59 previous convictions, including a total of 25 for road traffic offences.

The earliest release date for Mr Connolly is April 23, 2026.

Defence counsel Ciaran MacLoughlin BL, said the car was returned to the victim and both the accused had apologised for their actions.

Mr MacLoughlin said Mr Connolly was currently serving a two-year sentence and has “cleaned up” his act since entering into custody, working as a cleaner on a landing in prison and waiting for a place in school.

Mr Connolly has four kids whom he sees every two weeks and was pleading guilty to the charges.

“He was quite drunk on the night in question. Thankfully there was no damage and the car was returned to its owner,” said MacLoughlin.

Mr Connolly is a carpenter by trade but “unfortunately alcohol took over.”

Mr MacLoughlin said his client seems to have spent his time in prison “wisely” and asked Judge Brendan O’Reilly for a “certain amount of discretion” within the parameters of the law and pleaded “not to increase the sentence by too much.”

Judge O’Reilly sentenced Mr Connolly to three months in prison, consecutive to the sentence already being served.

Judge O’Reilly fined Connolly €200 for refusal to provide a sample and disqualified him from driving for four years. In relation to no insurance, Connolly was sentenced to three months prison, to serve concurrently with his previous custodial sentences.

Driving without a driver licence and failure to produce documents was taken into account.

Garda Finnegan told the court that Denis Petjonkins was “constantly telling gardai to f**k off” at the time of the arrest, but had apologised.

The court heard he was pleading guilty to the charges, is a father of two young kids and a “stay-at-home dad” with his partner employed.

Judge O’Reilly fined Petjonkins €100 for no display of documents and €200 for section 6 offence.

Having heard that Petjomkins had 14 previous section 113 convictions, Judge O’Reilly said community service is “not an option” in this case and sentenced him to two months.