Uninsured driver with ‘appalling record’ is jailed for five months

AN uninsured driver who collected his partner’s car when she was unable to leave the house because she had a new baby has been sentenced to five months in prison.

Jean Tansia had an “appalling record” of motoring offences when he was stopped without insurance for the seventh time.

Judge David McHugh imposed the sentence at Blanchardstown District Court, and banned the accused from driving for eight years.

Tansia, a 43-year-old father of five with an address at Cushlawn Dale, Tallaght, pleaded guilty to driving without insurance at Newcastle Road, Lucan on August 9 last.

Garda Aisling Walsh told the court she stopped the accused driving after her attention was drawn to the vehicle at 11.10pm.

After carrying out checks, the garda learned that Tansia did not have any insurance.

He had 24 previous driving convictions, including six for having no insurance.

He was disqualified from driving for five years in 2018 for that offence.

Tansia accepted he was in a very difficult position, his solicitor Valerie Buckley said.

The accused had been in Ireland since 1996 and had five children aged between one and six years,

On the night of the offence, he was driving his partner’s car as she could not leave the house at the time “due to having a very small baby”.

The car had to be collected and Tansia was the only person who could go to get it, and that was what he was doing, Ms Buckley said.

The accused worked at a wholesale company.

He was very concerned about the welfare of his children and was asking the court for “some time to get his affairs in order”.

“No is the answer,” Judge McHugh said. “He has an appalling record and any indulgence of the court was exhausted on the last occasion.”

He sentenced the accused to five months in prison and banned him from driving for eight years.

The sentence and ban were “effective from now,” the judge said. Recognisances were fixed in the event of an appeal.

“I will say no more,” the judge added.