Conor McGregor has narrowly avoided jail for an "appalling" series of dangerous driving incidents in Dublin where he jumped a red light, sped in and out of traffic and almost caused a collision.
The MMA star asked, "Are you taking the piss?" when a Garda who drove at 160 km/h to catch him eventually asked him to step out of his Bentley Continental GT convertible on the evening of March 22nd, 2022.
At Blanchardstown District Court on Wednesday, Judge David McHugh said, "This is an appalling series of breaches of the road traffic rules and an appalling episode of dangerous driving."
He imposed a five-month sentence, suspended on condition that McGregor kept the peace for two years, and hit the fighter with fines totalling €5,000 and a two-year road ban.
'Deliberate'
He found that "remorseful" McGregor's driving was "persistent, prolonged and deliberate," but noting the mitigating factors and guilty plea, he held that "It is appropriate to meet this matter by way of a suspended sentence, and only just."
Gardai pursued the MMA star at 160 km/h and stopped the 36-year-old in west Dublin.
He was arrested after being asked at least six times to get out of his 2019-reg car.
He was initially charged with two counts of dangerous driving car at the N4/M50 interchange in Palmerstown and Lucan Road, being uninsured, having no licence, and failing to produce his documents within ten days.
Gardaí further charged the father of four with careless driving, a lesser offence, in connection with the incident.
On Wednesday, State solicitor Ruth Walsh told Judge McHugh that the insurance and licence charges, and one count of dangerous driving at Lucan Road, would now be withdrawn.
His documents had been produced and were in order, the court heard.
Guilty
Defence counsel David Staunton informed the court McGregor was pleading guilty to the two remaining offences.
The MMA star, dressed in a blue check three-piece suit, arrived in his Bentley and sat in the public gallery until his case was called.
He did not address the court and sat in the dock with his hands clasped throughout the hearing.
Outlining the evidence, Garda Dennis Lorden recalled that he was stopped at traffic lights waiting for them to turn green at the junction of the Lucan Road, R136.
He observed McGregor's car travelling on a 24-hour bus lane. "This vehicle travelled at speed on my inside, went through the red light on the bus corridor".
It failed to stop, and the Garda activated his blue lights and sirens.
Garda Lorden followed and saw McGregor merge from the bus lane onto Lucan Road at high speed.
He said another vehicle had to stop to avoid crashing into McGregor's car.
High Speed
The court heard he continued at high speed on the eastbound bus lane along the N4 "before crossing from the bus lane, in one movement out in the fast lane."
"I was travelling at excess of 160 km/h trying to catch this vehicle," the garda told the court.
Judge McHugh heard how McGregor tried to undertake a car in the fast lane as it approached the slip road for the M50 southbound.
He went from lane to lane at high speed on the slip road, driving from the inside lane to the outer lane over the hash markings as he joined the M50, "causing dust to rise".
He went south on the motorway before "undertaking another vehicle already on the fast lane".
The Garda said he tried to stop him, but he refused to pull over at first. Finally, he pulled over onto the hard shoulder.
"I informed the accused to step out of the vehicle, and the driver replied, 'Are you taking the piss? You want me to get out the vehicle, out of the car on the M50?'."
McGregor had to be told six or seven times to get out of his car. He told the garda, "Wait, I need my security to catch up."
Arrest
He also refused to open his door, but the officer reached in and opened it, and he eventually got out to be arrested.
The Garda agreed with Mr Staunton that his patrol car was doing 160 km/h because McGregor was ahead, and he did not catch up fully with him. McGregor was travelling at speed, but traffic slowed him down. "But then, in between the traffic, he was pulling away from us again."
He agreed that McGregor was cooperative when taken to a Garda station and was found to be negative for intoxicants.
McGregor had 20 previous convictions, 17 traffic offences, including three speeding offences, two public order charges, and one for assault causing harm between 2011 and 2019. These convictions resulted in fines and a six-month road ban.
The Garda agreed with counsel that McGregor had no dangerous driving convictions.
Sentencing, Judge David McHugh said,
"This is an appalling series of breaches of the road traffic rules and an appalling episode of dangerous driving."
He also noted the risk he caused and said the previous convictions were "noteworthy, to say the least".
Mr Staunton, instructed by solicitor Michael Staines, said the accused was very remorseful and aware of the danger he caused to others and himself.
'Outright prison sentence'
When the judge indicated he was considering "an outright prison sentence," the defence pleaded that jailing was a measure of last resort and that the court had other options. Counsel submitted that his client had businesses, created employment, and assisted his ill father, who was present for the hearing.
He said his client was apologetic and regretted his actions.
On conviction, dangerous driving carries a maximum fine of up to €5,000 and six months imprisonment. Careless driving carries a maximum €5,000 penalty but no risk of a prison sentence.
McGregor previously appeared before the same court in 2017 when he was fined €400 for speeding.
In 2019, the millionaire fighter was handed a €1,000 fine for an unprovoked attack on a man in a Dublin pub. Desmond Keogh, from south-west Dublin, was in the Marble Arch Pub, Benbulben Road, in Drimnagh at about 2:30 pm on April 6th, 2019, when he was punched by McGregor, who later apologised.
By Tom Tuite
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