Conor McGregor 'remorseful' after sentence for 'appalling' dangerous driving and narrowly avoids jail

Conor McGregor narrowly dodged a jail sentence after exhibiting what was described as "appalling" behavior behind the wheel in Dublin , which included running a red light, reckless maneuvering through traffic and nearly causing an accident.

The MMA fighter cheekily questioned "Are you taking the piss? " when faced by an officer who had to reach speeds of 160 km/h to apprehend him as he drove his fancy Bentley Continental GT in March last year. At today's court session in Blanchardstown, Judge David McHugh expressed severe disapproval , saying, "This is an appalling series of breaches of the road traffic rules and an appalling episode of dangerous driving."

Judge McHugh gave McGregor a five-month suspended sentence conditional upon good behavior over two years , coupled with fines amounting to €5,000, and a driving ban lasting two years.

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Despite the "remorseful" attitude McGregor showed, the judge recognized that the athlete's driving displayed a "persistent, prolonged and deliberate," disregard for the law. Acknowledging mitigating factors, including his plea, the judge believed a suspended sentence was barely justifiable.

Gardai had to chase the sports star at alarming speeds before they detained the 36-year-old in West Dublin. McGregor ended up arrested only after being asked multiple times to exit his 2019 model vehicle, reports the Irish Mirror .

Initially indicted on counts of dangerous driving near the N4/M50 interchange in Palmerstown and Lucan Road, among other charges including driving without insurance or a license and failure to produce documents, McGregor was later charged with the less severe offense of careless driving, pertaining to the same incident.

State solicitor Ruth Walsh informed Judge McHugh that the charges of insurance and license, along with one count of dangerous driving at Lucan Road, would now be withdrawn against McGregor as his documents were in order.

Defense counsel David Staunton told the court that the MMA star was pleading guilty to the two remaining offenses. McGregor, 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 remained seated in the dock with his hands clasped throughout the hearing.

Garda Dennis Lorden, outlining the evidence, recalled being stopped at traffic lights waiting for them to turn green at the junction of the Lucan Road, R136. He observed McGregor's car traveling on a 24-hour bus lane. "This vehicle traveled at speed on my inside, went through the red light on the bus corridor."

McGregor's car failed to stop, prompting Garda Lorden to activate his blue lights and sirens. He followed and saw McGregor merge from the bus lane onto Lucan Road at high speed. Another vehicle had to stop to avoid crashing into McGregor's car, he said.

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The court heard that McGregor 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 traveling at excess of 160 km/h trying to catch this vehicle," the garda told the court.

Judge McHugh was informed that McGregor attempted to overtake a car in the fast lane as it neared the slip road for the M50 southbound. He darted from lane to lane at high speed on the slip road, moving from the inside lane to the outer lane over the hash markings as he joined the M50, "causing dust to rise."

He continued south on the motorway before "overtaking another vehicle already in the fast lane". The garda tried to stop him but he initially refused to pull over.+ Eventually, he pulled over into the hard shoulder.

"I asked the accused to step out of the vehicle, and the driver responded, 'Are you taking the piss? You want me to get out the vehicle, out of the car on the M50?"

McGregor had to be instructed six or seven times to exit his car. He told the garda, "Wait, I need my security to catch up." He also declined to open his door, but the officer reached in and opened it, and he finally got out to be arrested.

The garda concurred with Mr Staunton that his patrol car was traveling at 160 km/h because McGregor was ahead, and he did not fully catch up with him. McGregor was driving 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 tested negative for intoxicants. McGregor's rap sheet includes 20 previous convictions, with 17 traffic offences, including three for speeding, two public order charges, and one for assault causing harm between 2011 and 2019. These convictions led to fines and a six-month driving ban.

The garda concurred with the counsel that McGregor had no dangerous driving convictions. In his sentencing remarks, Judge David McHugh described it as "an appalling series of breaches of the road traffic rules and an appalling episode of dangerous driving."

He also highlighted the risk McGregor posed and noted that the previous convictions were "noteworthy, to say the least". Mr Staunton, representing McGregor under instruction from solicitor Michael Staines, said his client was deeply remorseful and fully aware of the danger he had caused to others and himself.

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When the judge hinted at considering "an outright prison sentence," the defense argued that imprisonment should be a last resort and that the court had other options. The counsel pointed out that his client ran businesses, created jobs, and cared for his ill father, who was present in court.

He emphasized that his client was sorry and regretted his actions. If convicted, dangerous driving can result in a maximum fine of up to €5,000 and six months in jail. Careless driving carries a maximum penalty of €5,000 but does not carry the risk of a prison sentence.

McGregor had previously appeared before the same court in 2017 when he was fined €400 for speeding.

In 2019, the millionaire fighter was slapped with a €1,000 fine for an unprovoked attack on a man in a Dublin pub. Desmond Keogh, from south-west Dublin, was enjoying a pint in the Marble Arch Pub, Benbulben Road, in Drimnagh around 2.30 pm on April 6, 2019, when he was sucker-punched by McGregor, who later expressed his regret.

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