‘Mind-boggling’ | 

Driver who gestured at garda to get off her phone at traffic lights was disqualified and uninsured

Michael Luczak (43) saw the officer on the phone, and though he “tried to keep it in”, he had to tell her that she should not be on the phone.

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A driver who gestured at a plain-clothes garda to get off their mobile phone after the officer pulled up beside him at a set of traffic lights was was disqualified and uninsured at the time, a court has heard.

Michael Luczak (43) saw the officer on the phone, and though he “tried to keep it in”, he had to tell her that she should not be on the phone.

His behaviour was mind-­boggling, Blanchardstown District Court heard.

Judge David McHugh imposed a four-month sentence and disqualified Luczak from driving for six years.

The defendant, of Hamptonwood Drive in Finglas, admitted uninsured driving and driving without a licence at St Margaret’s Road in Finglas on September 9, 2021, and again on September 27, 2021.

A garda witness said she was on patrol on September 9 when her attention was drawn to a vehicle stopped at a set of lights.

There was no tax displayed on the vehicle, and when the garda spoke to Luczak, he admitted he was a banned driver.

The court heard Luczak had 22 previous convictions, including three for uninsured driving, and was serving a four-year driving ban at the time.

Defence lawyer Ciaran Mac­Loughlin said the defendant, a separated father of two, was originally from Poland but had lived in Ireland for 17 years.

In the last year, Luczak had made regular donations to the Irish Road Victims’ Association, Mr MacLoughlin said, to try to atone for his behaviour.

Mr MacLoughlin said the garda had pulled alongside Luczak, who remonstrated with her for being on her mobile phone.

Luczak knew he was being foolish, given he was driving while disqualified, and he tried to keep it in, but he could not do so, the court heard.