Motorist caught twice driving uninsured in Donegal avoids disqualification

A man caught driving twice without insurance in Donegal has been allowed to keep his licence.

Oleksander Lozovyy was slapped with fines totalling €900 when he appeared at Falcarragh District Court.

The 44-year-old, of The Forge, Dunfanaghy, was before the court charged with offences on December 27, 2024 at Illistrin, Kilmacrennan and on April 12, 2025 on the N56 at Dunfanaghy.

On both occasions, Gardai stopped Lozovyy and made a lawful demand for him to produce insurance or a certificate of exemption. Lozovyy failed to produce documentation to a Garda station.

Solicitor for Lozovyy, Ms Nikita McGrath, told the court that her client accepts responsibility.

“He genuinely believed that having an active policy meant he was covered,” Ms McGrath told the court. He didn’t know that every vehicle needed a separate policy.”

Ms McGrath told Judge Emile Daly that Lozovyy has now “sorted his affairs”.

Ms McGrath said her client is a married father-of-four who is the sole driver and needs his license to support his family.

Judge Daly said the matter had to be dealt with as one where the defendant has no previous convictions.

For the first offence, Lozovyy was fined €400 and for the second matter he was fined €500. The accused was given four months to discharge the fines.

On the basis of having no previous, Judge Daly said she would not disqualify Lozovyy on this occasion.

“This needs to be a lesson for him that the rules of this country mean that he is obliged to have an insurance policy to cover him for whatever driving he does,” Judge Daly said. “That obligation is not just to the people on the road, but to every other driver who pays into a policy to cover those who aren’t insured. That is why I have penalised him to that level.”