Friday 30 October 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. 16788Drug driving; driving without insurance; driving without a licence; speeding; possession of drugs · Co. Offaly · 25 Sep 2023

Man fined and disqualified for drug driving and no insurance in Tullamore

On 25 September 2023, Garda Finbarr O'Leahy stopped Jason Bennett, of Coolanarney, Blueball, Tullamore, in the Midlands, and found that he had no insurance or driving licence. Gardaí also reported a smell of cannabis in the car, a search that found €50 worth of cannabis, and a test showing he was 30 times the legal drug-driving limit. He was charged with speeding, driving without insurance, driving without a licence, drug driving and possession of drugs. In June 2024 the district court sentenced him to fines totalling several hundred euro, with 10-year disqualifications for drug driving and driving without insurance, and took his failure to produce a licence and insurance into consideration.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In courtnot reported
  5. Verdictnot reported
  6. Sentenced28 Jun
    2 reports
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
Jason Bennett had no insurance and no driving licence when he was stopped.
Where
Bennett lives in Coolanarney, Blueball, Tullamore, and was stopped in the Midlands; the Offaly Express describes him as an Offaly man.
When
Garda Finbarr O'Leahy stopped Bennett on September 25, 2023.
Investigation
  • A smell of cannabis was noticed in the car when he was stopped, and a search found €50 worth of cannabis.
  • Tests showed Bennett was 30 times the legal limit for drug driving.
Charges
He was charged with speeding, driving without insurance, driving without a licence, drug driving and possession of drugs.
In court
  • The district court heard the case in June 2024, the week before the reports of 28 and 30 June 2024.
  • He had prior convictions for drugs and for driving without insurance, and had previously received the benefit of the Probation Act.
  • His solicitor said he needed to move away from the lifestyle he was living; he has one child.
Sentence
  • For drug driving he was fined €1,000 with six months to pay and a 10-year disqualification.
  • For driving without insurance he was fined €1,000 with six months to pay and a 10-year disqualification.
  • For driving without a licence he was fined €250 with six months to pay, for speeding €250 with three months to pay, and for possession of drugs €250 with six months to pay.
  • Failure to produce a driving licence and insurance was taken into consideration.
26 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatHe had no insurance or driving licence. (offalyexpress.ie, longfordleader.ie)
  • whatCannabis was smelled in the car when he was stopped, and a search found €50 worth of cannabis. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • whereJason Bennett lives in Coolanarney, Blueball, Tullamore. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • whereBennett, of Coolanarney, Blueball, Tullamore, was stopped in the Midlands. (longfordleader.ie)
  • whenJason Bennett was stopped by gardaí on September 25, 2023. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • whenBennett was stopped by a garda on September 25, 2023. (longfordleader.ie)
  • investigationTests showed he was 30 times the legal limit for drug driving. (offalyexpress.ie, longfordleader.ie)
  • investigationThere was a smell of cannabis in the car when he was stopped, and a search found €50 worth of cannabis. (longfordleader.ie)
  • courtHe had prior convictions for drugs and for driving with no insurance, and had previously received the benefit of the probation act. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • courtHis solicitor said he had to get away from the lifestyle he was living. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • courtThe district court heard the case the week before the report. (longfordleader.ie)
  • sentenceFor driving without insurance he was fined €1,000 with 6 months to pay and a 10-year disqualification. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • sentenceFor driving without a licence he was fined €250 with 6 months to pay. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • sentenceFor speeding he was fined €250 with 3 months to pay. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • sentenceFor possession of drugs he was fined €250 with 6 months to pay. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • sentenceFor drug driving he was fined €1,000 with 6 months to pay and a 10-year disqualification. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • sentenceFor driving without insurance he was fined €1,000 with six months to pay and given a 10-year disqualification. (longfordleader.ie)
  • sentenceFor driving without a licence he was fined €250 with six months to pay. (longfordleader.ie)
  • sentenceFor speeding he was fined €250 with three months to pay. (longfordleader.ie)
  • sentenceFor possession of drugs he was fined €250 with six months to pay. (longfordleader.ie)
  • sentenceFor drug driving he was fined €1,000 with six months to pay and given a 10-year disqualification. (longfordleader.ie)
  • sentenceFailure to produce a driving licence and insurance was taken into consideration. (longfordleader.ie)
  • otherFailure to produce a driving licence and insurance were taken into consideration. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • otherHe was charged with speeding, driving without insurance or a licence, and drug driving. (longfordleader.ie)
  • otherHe had prior convictions for drugs and driving with no insurance, and had previously been given the benefit of the Probation Act. (longfordleader.ie)
  • otherHis solicitor said he needed to move away from his lifestyle and that he has one child. (longfordleader.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 28 Jun2024
    Sentencedlongfordleader.ie, first report
    Midlands man who drove under influence of drugs was 30 times the legal limit

    Reports the district court sentencing of Jason Bennett: fines totalling several hundred euro and 10-year disqualifications for drug driving and driving without insurance, with other offences fined and taken into consideration.

    convicted, Jason Bennett, male, named, irish (judged from name)Jason Bennett
  2. 28 Jun2024
    Sentencedoffalyexpress.ie, follow-up
    Offaly man who drove under influence of drugs was 30 times the legal limit

    Reports the sentencing of Jason Bennett for drug driving and related road offences after a September 2023 garda stop. This is a different incident from existing case 8067, which concerns a 2026 criminal damage charge against a man with the same name.

    convicted, Jason Bennett, male, named, irish (judged from name)Jason Bennett