Enniskillen Court House, RMGFH04
A Newtownbutler man with almost 600 previous criminal convictions has probably been in court more often than the judge sentencing him, according to the judge.
Mark Convey (37) of Main Street, Newtownbutler pleaded guilty to driving while disqualified and driving without insurance at Enniskillen Magistrates Court on Monday.
Convey, who had 587 previous convictions, had been detected by police at Galloon Gardens in Netwonbutler on December 17.
Referring to Convey’s “voluminous” record, defence solicitor Michael Fahy said Convey had no pending charges “in the pipeline”, and had no previous relevant convictions since 2005. He also pointed out Convey had not breached the driving ban imposed on him in 2014, in connection to an incident in December 2013.
Mr Fahy asked District Judge Desmond Perry to “leave something hanging over his head”, suggesting a suspended sentence for Convey. Judge Perry said suspended sentences had “not stopped him to date” and said he suggested “the only way to stop him reoffending is to take him off the street.”
Judge Perry said to Convey: “There are occasions where I have said a defendant is in more court more often than I am. In your case I think that’s actually true.”
For driving while disqualified, Judge Perry sentenced Convey to five months in prison, suspended for three years. For driving without insurance, he sentenced him to five months in prison, suspended for three years, fined him £500 and disqualified him from driving for three years.
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