Sunday 1 November 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 22357Drink driving; drug driving; assault on a garda; dangerous driving · Co. Longford · 15 Dec 2021

Homeless man sentenced for drink driving and assault on gardaí in Ballymahon

Mark Donlon, 36, of no fixed abode, was sentenced at Longford District Court for drink driving at 217mg/100ml (four times over the limit), drug driving (cannabis), and assaulting Gardaí Allan Doherty and Rachel Carlin after being stopped at a checkpoint in Ballymahon on 15 December 2021. He received three-month concurrent prison sentences suspended for 18 months, fines, compensation, and a four-year driving ban.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In courtnot reported
  5. Verdictnot reported
  6. Sentenced14 Feb
    3 reports
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
54 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatThe accused is 36 years old and of no fixed abode (longfordleader.ie)
  • whatGardaí Allan Doherty and Rachel Carlin were conducting the checkpoint in south Longford (longfordleader.ie)
  • whatA car was reported driving dangerously from Mullingar (longfordleader.ie)
  • whatA strong smell of alcohol was observed from the driver's breath (longfordleader.ie, offalyexpress.ie)
  • whatThe accused resisted arrest and swung at the gardaí (longfordleader.ie)
  • whatThe accused kicked the gardaí a number of times (longfordleader.ie)
  • whatThe accused bit Garda Doherty on the hand (longfordleader.ie)
  • whatThe accused was extremely abusive and aggressive towards both officers (longfordleader.ie)
  • whatThe blood sample returned a reading of 217mg per 100ml (longfordleader.ie, offalyexpress.ie)
  • whatThe blood reading carried a three-year disqualification (longfordleader.ie)
  • whatThe legal drink driving limit is between 51mg and 80mg per 100ml of blood (longfordleader.ie)
  • whatThe accused was four times over the legal limit (longfordleader.ie)
  • whatCannabis was found in the accused's system (longfordleader.ie)
  • whatThe accused had no previous convictions (longfordleader.ie)
  • whatThe accused had been drinking the night before the incident (longfordleader.ie)
  • whatThe accused was extremely volatile when appearing in court in Athlone (longfordleader.ie)
  • whatMark Donlon is 35 years old and of no fixed abode (irishtimes.com)
  • whatHe was stopped by Gardaí Allan Doherty and Rachel Carlin at a checkpoint in south Longford town (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe officers were responding to a call of a car allegedly spotted driving dangerously from Mullingar (irishtimes.com)
  • whatDonlon kicked the gardaí a number of times and bit Garda Doherty on the hand (irishtimes.com, offalyexpress.ie)
  • whatThe blood sample returned a reading of 217mg per 100ml of blood (irishtimes.com)
  • whatDonlon was four times over the legal limit to drive (irishtimes.com)
  • whatA drug driving charge was issued after cannabis was found in his system (irishtimes.com, offalyexpress.ie)
  • whatDonlon had no previous convictions (irishtimes.com, offalyexpress.ie)
  • whatDonlon had been drinking the night before the incident (irishtimes.com, offalyexpress.ie)
  • whatMark Donlon was 36 years old and of no fixed abode (offalyexpress.ie)
  • whatGardaí Allan Doherty and Rachel Carlin were conducting a checkpoint in south Longford town (offalyexpress.ie)
  • whatThe officers were responding to a call of a car driving dangerously from Mullingar (offalyexpress.ie)
  • whatDonlon resisted arrest and swung at the gardaí (offalyexpress.ie)
  • whatDonlon was described as extremely abusive and aggressive towards both officers (offalyexpress.ie)
  • whatThe legal drink driving limit is between 51mg and 80mg per 100ml, putting Donlon at four times over (offalyexpress.ie)
  • whatDonlon was extremely volatile when appearing in court in Athlone (offalyexpress.ie)
  • whatDonlon had spent a week in custody on the same charges (offalyexpress.ie)
  • whereThe incident occurred at a checkpoint in Ballymahon, County Longford (longfordleader.ie)
  • whereHe was brought to Granard Garda Station where he was charged after a blood sample was taken (irishtimes.com)
  • whereThe incident occurred in Ballymahon, County Longford (offalyexpress.ie)
  • whenThe incident occurred on 15 December 2021 (longfordleader.ie)
  • whenThe incident occurred on 15 December 2021 in Ballymahon, Co Longford (irishtimes.com)
  • whenThe incident took place on 15 December 2021 (offalyexpress.ie)
  • investigationDonlon was arrested and brought to Granard Garda Station where a blood sample was taken (offalyexpress.ie)
  • chargeThe accused was charged with assaulting both gardaí (longfordleader.ie)
  • chargeThe accused was charged with six counts of dangerous driving (longfordleader.ie)
  • chargeHe was charged with assaulting both gardaí alongside six counts of dangerous driving (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeDonlon was charged with assaulting both gardaí and six counts of dangerous driving (offalyexpress.ie)
  • courtThe sentencing took place at Longford District Court (irishtimes.com)
  • courtJudge Bernadette Owens presided over the sentencing (irishtimes.com)
  • courtA probation report was handed into the court (offalyexpress.ie)
  • courtJudge Owens described the incident as being at the higher end of seriousness for the District Court (offalyexpress.ie)
  • sentenceHe was handed a three-month prison sentence suspended for 18 months (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceThe blood sample carried a three-year disqualification (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceThree-month concurrent prison sentences suspended for 18 months were imposed for both assault charges (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceFines totalling €500 were issued for both drink and drug driving offences (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceDonlon was ordered to pay €500 by way of compensation (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceA four-year driving ban was handed down for one of the six dangerous driving charges (irishtimes.com)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 16 Feb2023
    Sentencedoffalyexpress.ie, first report
    Court hears homeless man caught at wheel in Midlands four times over legal limit threw punches, kicked and bit garda

    Full sentencing details: three-month concurrent prison sentences suspended for 18 months for both assault charges, €500 fines for drink and drug driving, €500 compensation, four-year driving ban and €200 fine for one of six dangerous driving charges. Blood reading of 217mg/100ml. No previous convictions. A week in custody on the same charges noted as taxing.

    convicted, Mark Donlon, 36, male, named, irish (judged from name)Mark Donlonvictim, Allan Doherty, male, irish (judged from name)Allan Dohertyvictim, Rachel Carlin, female, irish (judged from name)Rachel Carlin
  2. 14 Feb2023
    Sentencedirishtimes.com, follow-up
    Drink and drug driver who kicked, threw punches and bit garda avoids jail sentence

    Provides full sentencing detail: three-month concurrent prison sentences suspended for 18 months for both assault charges, €500 fines for drink and drug driving, €500 compensation, four-year driving ban and €200 fine for one dangerous driving charge. Also records that Donlon is a Westmeath native with no previous convictions.

    victim, Allan Doherty, irish (judged from name)Allan Dohertyvictim, Rachel Carlin, irish (judged from name)Rachel Carlinaccused, Mark Donlon, 35, male, named, irish (judged from name)Mark Donlon
  3. 14 Feb2023
    Sentencedlongfordleader.ie, follow-up
    BREAKING: Homeless man caught at wheel in Longford four times over legal limit threw punches, kicked and bit garda, court hears

    Provides full sentencing details handed down by Judge Bernadette Owens, including the specific suspended sentences, fines, compensation and driving ban, as well as defence submissions and the judge's remarks on the seriousness of the incident.

    victim, Allan Doherty, male, irish (judged from name)Allan Dohertyvictim, Rachel Carlin, female, irish (judged from name)Rachel Carlinsuspect, Mark Donlon, 36, male, named, irish (judged from name)Mark Donlon