A 37-year-old Co Monaghan carpenter was given a three-month suspended jail sentence, fined a total of €1,700 and banned from driving for eight years at Carrickmacross District Court yesterday.
Stephen McConnon, Highfield, Carrickmacross, was sentenced by Judge John O'Neill for the obstruction of a garda on March 6th last.
The accused, who pleaded guilty, entered into a bond of €100 and was bound to the peace for two years.
He was fined €750 and banned from driving for four years for drink-driving on the same date, while an offence for the non-display of a tax disc was taken into consideration.
He was also fined €250 and disqualified for one year for dangerous driving on October 11th last year.
A further €250 fine with a two-year driving ban were imposed for a second drink-driving conviction; an additional €350 fine and a further one-year driving ban for not having insurance; and a fine of €100 for having no driving licence.
Insp Jim Marks, Carrickmacross, said that when intercepted by gardaí on one of the occasions the accused struck a garda on the face.
A charge relating to an attempt by McConnon to escape from garda custody on October 11th was taken into consideration by the judge.
Defence lawyer Gerry Jones told the court that McConnon had gone through a very rough period and regretted his foolishness.
A further charge against the accused for assaulting Garda Oliver Flaherty, Carrickmacross, was adjourned until December 12th next, for the preparation of probation and welfare reports