Sentenced, fined and banned in Carlow District Court having no insurance, tax or NCT
The driver received a suspended sentence and was banned and fined for the offences
A GRAIGUECULLEN man with 15 previous road traffic convictions received a four-month suspended sentence at Carlow District Court after he was caught driving without valid insurance, tax or an NCT certificate.
Justin Snoddy (36) appeared before Carlow District Court and pleaded guilty to charges under section 56 and section 38 of the .
Section 56 relates to not having valid insurance, while section 38 relates to no valid tax or NCT.
Garda Hassett told the court that on 5 September 2025 at approximately 12.30pm, he was conducting a mobile patrol on the Blackbog Road, Carlow when Mr Snoddy’s vehicle was flagged by the garda system as having no valid insurance, tax or NCT. Mr Snoddy was arrested and charged at Carlow Garda Station.
The court heard that Mr Snoddy, Sleaty Road, Graiguecullen had 15 previous convictions, all for road traffic offences. The most recent, from March 2024, saw him convicted at Carlow District Court on 10 April 2025 for driving without a valid licence and without insurance.
Solicitor John O’Sullivan, appearing for the defendant, asked the court to adjourn sentencing so that the findings of a probation report being prepared for a matter before the circuit court could be shared. The report is due in June.
Judge Geraldine Carthy asked why Mr Snoddy had been driving on the day in question. Mr O’Sullivan said his client’s father had been ill and that he had driven to see him.
Judge Carthy noted that the aggravating factor was his significant history of road traffic offending. On the section 56 charge, she convicted and sentenced Mr Snoddy to four months’ imprisonment, suspended in its entirety for 12 months on his entering into a bond of €300. She directed him to engage with the probation services and also disqualified him from driving for six years. The section 38 offence was taken into consideration.
