The court was told that Thomas Morrow, Dobally, Ballyshannon was in breach of a five months suspended jail sentence and was driving while banned.

48-year-old Thomas Morrow, Doobally Ballyshannon admitted driving a tractor at Doobally, Ballyshannon without a licence or insurance at Doobally on May 8 at Doobally on the road between Ballyshannon and Belleek.

The court was told the defendant had been given a suspended jail sentence for motoring offences in 2014-that sentence was due to expire in July. And he had been banned from driving for eight years in 2013.

Defence solicitor Florence Hutchinson said there was not a lot she could say.

“Clearly he knew he was banned and he clearly knew he should not be driving. He took the tractor 100 yards from his home to his farm and he knew the consequences”.

back road

The defendant had a major road traffic accident 25 years ago which left him severely disabled but that did not impair his mind, the court heard. The offence happened on a back road.

Judge Kevin Kilrane said it was the defendant’s third conviction for driving while banned and he was also in breach of a five months jail sentence yet “he persists”.

The judge said he had no option but to send him to jail and there was no need for a Probation Report.

Judge Kilrane jailed the defendant for five months on both charges concurrently.

And he gave the defendant two ten year driving bans to run concurrently on both charges.