Ex-soldier jailed and banned from driving after multiple drug and insurance offences

A former soldier and ‘promising’ boxer has been jailed for six months and banned from driving for a total of 14 years for two offences of driving while on cocaine and four no insurance offences.

Craig Kavanagh, 24, who has a ‘very promising’ career as a boxer left the army in the summer of 2023 after he failed a drugs test, Dublin District Court heard. He then sought treatment in London for three months after ‘immediately addressing his difficulty’ and ‘has done well since,’ the court heard.

Kavanagh plans to get back into boxing and all of his driving offences pre-date going into treatment, Judge Grainne Malone was told. Kavanagh, of Claddagh Road in Ballyfermot, Dublin 10 pleaded guilty to a number of motoring offences between June 2022 and July 2023 including two offences of driving under the influence of cocaine and four no insurance offences.

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Garda Stephen Walsh gave evidence that on June 20, 2022 gardai stopped Kavanagh driving a black 131 registered BMW that was being driven erratically at 2.30am in the Drimnagh area of Dublin. The vehicle was stopped and Kavanagh, who had no insurance and no driving licence, failed to produce his documents at a nominated garda station.

A month later Kavanagh was stopped driving on Ann Devlin Road in Rathfarnham, Dublin where he was caught driving without insurance and without a driving licence.

Three months later, on September 15, 2022 Kavanagh was stopped driving the same vehicle, which had four males in it, at Claddagh Road, Ballyfermot, Dublin 10. Gardai got a smell of cannabis from the vehicle but nothing was found during a search. Kavanagh had attempted to produce an army driving permit and failed to produce his insurance and driving licence.

On September 21, 2022 Kavanagh was stopped again by gardai when he drove off at speed on Harold’s Cross Road. Gardai observed he was ‘sweating and his pupils were dilated.’ He also tested positive for having cocaine in his system.

The following July 2023 Kavanagh was stopped by gardai when he crossed a white line. He had no insurance and tested positive for driving under the influence of cocaine.

He has ten road traffic convictions including one for no insurance where he received a two year driving ban imposed in July 2023, the court heard.

Defence counsel said Kavanagh, who is currently on social welfare, “has a very promising career in boxing.”

“He joined the army at 19 and unfortunately it all went to his head. In the summer of 2023 he left the army before he was pushed after he failed a drugs test and then went into treatment for three months in London,” defence counsel said.

“His previous all pre-date going into treatment. He had a difficulty and he immediately addressed it,” counsel said, adding Kavanagh hopes to resume his boxing career.

Judge Malone said she has to take Kavanagh’s offending ‘serious.’

“I do accept he has taken it on the chin and pleaded guilty. It’s an awful shame as clearly he is talented but he has taken the road road with his offending.

“He has to understand I have to protect others as well as he has two driving while under the influence of cocaine and four no insurance offences,” the judge said and imposed a six month prison sentence and a 14 year driving ban.

Kavanagh, dressed in a light green jacket, white t-shirt and grey tracksuit bottoms, did not address the court during the hearing.

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