Ireland Woman sentenced to ten months over dangerous driving and no insurance in Kildare
On 18 July 2024, Melissa Joyce, a 34-year-old woman, failed to stop at a garda checkpoint and drove at 120 kph in a 60 kph zone in Blackhill, Kill, County Kildare, with children in the car and no insurance on her car. She appeared by video-link from custody when she was convicted at Naas District Court on 25 July 2024 and sentenced to ten months in total, five months for dangerous driving and a further five for driving without insurance, with two concurrent six-year driving disqualifications backdated to when she first entered custody. Her barrister said she was not thinking straight and that the date was the anniversary of a loved one's death, and the court heard she has 87 previous convictions, 10 of them for no insurance offences. Kildare Now reported the sentencing on 27 July 2024.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrestednot reported
- Chargednot reported
- In courtnot reported
- Verdictnot reported
- Sentenced26 Jul
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- Melissa Joyce failed to stop at a garda checkpoint and sped off at 120 kph in a 60 kph zone.
- Where
- The dangerous driving took place in Blackhill, Kill, in North Kildare.
- When
- The offence took place on 18 July 2024.
- Other details
- Melissa Joyce is a 34-year-old woman with an address listed as Finglas, Dublin 11.
- Children were in the car at the time, and the car had no insurance.
- Melissa Joyce was disqualified from driving for ten years at the time and has 87 previous convictions, 10 of them for no insurance offences.
- Her barrister said the date coincided with the anniversary of a loved one's death and that she was not thinking straight at the time.
- In court
- Melissa Joyce appeared by video-link from custody and was convicted at Naas District Court on 25 July 2024, with gardaí presenting the facts to Judge Desmond Zaidan.
- Sentence
- She was sentenced to five months for dangerous driving and a further five months for no insurance, ten months in total.
- She was given two concurrent six-year driving disqualifications, backdated to when she first entered custody.
- The appeal was set at €500.
- Investigation
- Kildare Now published a court report on the sentencing on 27 July 2024.
16 statements extracted from the articles
- whatShe failed to stop at a garda checkpoint and sped off at 120 kph in a 60 kph zone. (kildarenow.com)
- whereThe dangerous driving took place in Blackhill, Kill. (kildarenow.com)
- whenThe offence was on 18 July 2024. (kildarenow.com)
- courtShe was convicted at Naas District Court on Thursday, 25 July 2024. (kildarenow.com)
- sentenceShe was sentenced to five months for dangerous driving. (kildarenow.com)
- sentenceShe was sentenced to a further five months for no insurance, ten months in total. (kildarenow.com)
- sentenceShe was given two concurrent six-year driving disqualifications. (kildarenow.com)
- sentenceThe sentence was backdated to when she first entered custody. (kildarenow.com)
- sentenceThe appeal was set at €500. (kildarenow.com)
- otherShe was disqualified from driving for ten years at the time. (kildarenow.com)
- otherChildren were in the car at the time. (kildarenow.com)
- otherShe had no insurance on her car at the time. (kildarenow.com)
- otherShe has 87 previous convictions, 10 of them for no insurance offences. (kildarenow.com)
- otherShe appeared by video-link because she was in custody. (kildarenow.com)
- otherHer barrister said the date coincided with the anniversary of a loved one's death. (kildarenow.com)
- otherHer barrister said she was not thinking straight at the time. (kildarenow.com)
The reporting
newest first- 26 Jul2024Woman with 10 previous no insurance convictions sentenced over dangerous driving offence committed in North Kildare
Court report on the sentencing of Melissa Joyce at Naas District Court on 25 July 2024, including the sentence, disqualifications and defence submissions.
convicted, Melissa Joyce, 34, female, named, irish (judged from name)Melissa Joyce