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Banned driver (22) ‘took a chance’ and collected car to help frightened nephew

Iverson Longondo (22) was fined €200, disqualified from driving for six years and jailed for four months

Eimear Cotter

Today at 07:53

A banned driver “took a chance” and collected his nephew’s car as the relative had been assaulted and was afraid to get it, a court has heard.

Iverson Longondo (22) was fined €200, disqualified from driving for six years and jailed for four months when he appeared before Judge Dermot Dempsey at Swords District Court.

The defendant, of Lower Gardiner Street, Dublin 1, admitted uninsured and unlicensed driving on October 20, 2022.

Garda Oisín Finnegan said he was on patrol after 10pm when he saw an Audi A3 turn from Hamlet Lane on to Bremore Pastures Way and stop outside a house.

Gda Finnegan spoke to the driver, who told him he did not have a driving licence.Gda Finnegan did a vehicle check and discovered that Longondo was a disqualified driver.He was taken to Balbriggan garda station, where he was searched and found with €40 of cannabis.

Longondo had previous convictions for uninsured and dangerous driving, the court heard.

Defence lawyer Annette Kealy said Longondo, an unemployed father of one, had been trying to help his nephew, who had been beaten up and was afraid to go and collect his car.

Longondo foolishly offered to collect the car for his nephew, Mr Kealy said, and she asked the judge not to jail him, saying he was trying to do a favour for a relative.