Man with 86 convictions imprisoned for driving offences at Donegal Town

A man with 86 previous convictions has been sentenced to five months in prison for driving without insurance. The offence was detected after he had been arrested for stealing fuel worth over €50 at Donegal Service Station.

Pardelian Rostas, 24, of 3 Mount Southwell Place, Market Square, Letterkenny, was sentenced to five months’ imprisonment and served a 10-year disqualification from driving by Judge Éiteáin Cunningham at Donegal District Court, held at Ballyshannon Courthouse, for being in contrary of section 56 (1) & (3) of the Road Traffic Act 1961, for driving without an approved policy of insurance.

Judge Cunningham took into consideration separate charges of theft, contrary to section 4 of the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act 2001, and driving without holding a driving licence, contrary to section 38 (1) and 38 (2)(a)(ii) of the Road Traffic Act 1961.

The court heard Rostas, who is currently imprisoned for a previous offence, had 86 previous convictions, the vast majority of which were for road traffic matters, and that he was also disqualified from driving at the time of the offence on March 31, 2024. 

Garda Eoghan McAllister said he was called to Donegal Service Station, Drumlonagher, Donegal Town, after Rostas was accused of stealing diesel fuel to the value of €50.07 from the manager of Donegal Service Station, and that Rostas was identifiable from CCTV footage. 

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Mr Rory O’Brien, solicitor for Rostas, told the court that his client had “held his hands to the matter as he has done to all of his offences. Unfortunately, the behaviour has become the norm and a habit, but a habit that he recognises that he can not continue.

“He has engaged in education and work. He has a young child and a wife. He has an opportunity to work in a family business once he has overcome his issues.

“He fully accepts that disqualification is going to be part of his life and something he has to deal with.

“It goes without saying, he has apologised to the individual involved.”  

In delivering her sentence, Judge Cunningham said she had noted all the previous convictions and that Rostas was disqualified from driving at the time of the offence.