Mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter Conor McGregor has narrowly avoided jail for an “appalling” series of dangerous driving incidents in Dublin where he jumped a red light, sped in and out of traffic, and almost caused a collision.
McGregor asked “are you taking the p**s?” when a garda, who drove at 160 km/h to catch him, eventually asked him to step out of his Bentley Continental GT on the evening of March 22nd, 2022.
“This is an appalling series of breaches of the road traffic rules and an appalling episode of dangerous driving,” said Judge David McHugh at Blanchardstown District Court.
He imposed a five-month sentence but suspended it on condition that McGregor keeps the peace for two years, fines totalling €5,000 and a two-year driving ban.
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McGregor (36) was initially charged with two counts of dangerous driving at the N4/M50 interchange in Palmerstown and Lucan Road, being uninsured, having no licence and failing to produce his documents within 10 days. Gardaí further charged him with careless driving, a lesser offence, in connection with the incident.
State solicitor Ruth Walsh said the insurance and licence charges, and one count of dangerous driving at Lucan Road, would be withdrawn as his documents had been produced and were in order. Defence counsel David Staunton informed the court McGregor was pleading guilty to the two remaining offences.
Garda Dennis Lorden told the court he was stopped at traffic lights on the Lucan Road and observed McGregor’s car travelling in a 24-hour bus lane. He said the vehicle drove at speed through the red light.
The garda said he activated his blue lights and sirens, followed McGregor and saw him merge from the bus lane on to the road at high speed. He said another vehicle had to stop to avoid crashing into McGregor’s car.
“I was travelling in excess of 160km/h trying to catch this vehicle,” he said.
The garda said he tried to stop McGregor on the M50 but he initially refused to pull over.
When he did stop, Garda Lorden said McGregor had to be told six or seven times to get out of his car. He also refused to open his door, but the officer reached in and opened it, and he eventually got out to be arrested. The garda agreed with Mr Stanton that McGregor was co-operative when taken to a Garda station and was found to be negative for intoxicants.
McGregor had 20 previous convictions, 17 for traffic offences, two public order charges and one for assault causing harm between 2011 and 2019. Judge McHugh said these were “noteworthy, to say the least”.
Mr Stanton said McGregor was aware of the danger he caused to others and himself.
The judge said the accused was now “remorseful” but his driving on the day was “persistent, prolonged and deliberate”. He noted mitigating factors, including a guilty plea, and said “it is appropriate to meet this matter by way of a suspended sentence, and only just”.
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