A LEARNER driver who drove while on drugs and took diesel from a Bandon garage without paying for it has been sentenced to four months in prison and disqualified from driving for four years.

Keelan Kelleher (21), of Rahalisk, Ballinagree, Macroom, pleaded guilty at Macroom District Court to the possession of drugs, drug driving, careless driving, driving without a licence, tax, insurance, NCT or L-plates.

He also pleaded guilty to driving without being accompanied by a fully qualified driver, and to a public order charge.

The court heard that on October 15^th 2024, he filled his car with €79.78 worth of diesel at Kevin O’Leary’s Garage in Bandon, and drove off without paying for it.

Defence solicitor Patrick Goold said his client made full admissions and had since paid the money back.

Judge Joanne Carroll said she could not be certain of the repayment without a receipt, which the defendant did not have in court.

The court also heard that on December 3rd 2024 at 9.56 am, gardaí stopped the accused at Clodah, Crookstown, and found he had no insurance or driving licence, no NCT, no accompanying driver and no L-plates.

A gardaí search revealed €5 worth of cannabis and the accused admitted it was for his own personal use.

A drug test showed that Mr Kelleher had cocaine and  cannabis in his system.

On January 5^th 2025  just before 11pm at Gurteenroe, Macroom, a garda on patrol witnessed erratic driving and stopped Mr Kelleher.

He noticed a strong smell of cannabis and found €100 worth of it in the car.

A drug test later showed he had cannabis in his system.

Alongside a charge of drug possession, Mr Kelleher was charged for driving without due care and attention, for not having valid NCT or a licence, for driving unaccompanied by a fully qualified driver, and for not having L-plates.

The court also heard that on October 17^th 2025 at Ballyverane, he was involved in a public order offence and did not stop when pursued for several kilometres by a Garda patrol car.

The court heard that the defendant had five previous convictions, the most recent one from February 19^th 2025 for drug possession, when Mr Kelleher was placed on a 12-months Probation Order.

That day he also received a careless driving conviction, and was disqualified from driving for 12 months for having no insurance.

The driving ban came into effect on March 6^th 2025.

Defence solicitor Patrick Goold said his client had been involved with cannabis since the age of 13.

He said his client had been living with his grandmother and siblings, and later moved to Inchigeela, coming under the influence of an older female, known to the courts.

The judge said Mr Kelleher, who was unemployed, had been given ample opportunity for addiction treatment and chose not to engage with the Probation Service.

The Probation Service even drove to Inchigeela and he did not show up for his appointment, the judge said.

‘It’s shocking to see this man’s physical deterioration since I first met him. He looks like a man of 35,’ Judge Joanne Carroll said.

‘I’m willing to accept that he’s not a bad person. He’s so pale and sickly looking, down to drugs. He has to go to prison and I’m hoping he will get off drugs. We’ve tried the soft approach. I have to impose a prison sentence,’ the judge added.

Judge Carroll sentenced him to four-months in prison for stealing the diesel as she said she was not satisfied that the money for the diesel had been repaid.

She imposed a further four months in prison for the drug driving incident on January 5^th 2025, and another four-months sentence for the drug driving on December 12^th 2024.

The sentences are to run concurrently.

Judge Carroll struck out the public order offence relating to the incident on October 17^th 2025.

Mr Kelleher was disqualified from driving for four years for not having insurance, and also received a €200 fine or three days in prison for driving without a licence in relation to the road traffic charges on December 3^rd 2024.

He  also received another €200 fine or three days in prison for not having NCT and for driving unaccompanied a further €200 fine, or three days in prison. Judge Carrol struck out the drug possession charge, along with the ones for not having motor tax and L-plates.

In relation to the incident on January 5^th 2025, Judge Carroll disqualified Mr Kelleher for four years for driving without insurance.

The judge imposed a five-months prison sentence for drug driving that day, with the last two months of the sentence suspended for 12 months.

Attached to the suspended sentence is the condition that Mr Kelleher engages with the Probation Service and attends drug addiction treatment after his release from prison.

Judge Carroll convicted Mr Kelleher and imposed a €300 fine or three days in prison for driving unaccompanied, and also issued a €300 fine or three days in prison for not having L-plates.

The judge gave Mr Kelleher a €300 or three days in prison for the careless driving charge from January 5^th 2025.

She struck out the charge of driving without a licence. The public order charge from October 17^th 2025 was also struck out.

‘You are a very pleasant young man but your behaviour has been completely unacceptable.

You’ve placed other lives at risk by drug driving. To me it’s one of the meanest offences to go to a garage, fill up your car and not pay,’ Judge Carroll said.

The judge gave Gardaí a destruction order for all drugs, and granted legal aid to Mr Kelleher’s solicitor.

Funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme.