Conor McGregor arrives at court in Rolls Royce as he faces two dangerous driving charges
He is also charged with uninsured and unlicenced driving, as well as failing to produce his documents at a garda station within 10 days.
Conor McGregor arrives at Blanchardstown District Court in Dublin in Dublin this morning. Picture Colin Keegan /Collins Photos
UFC star Conor McGregor has appeared in court charged with dangerous driving and other motoring offences.
The 33-year-old MMA fighter had the case against him adjourned when he came before a Dublin court charged over an incident in the west of the city last month.
Judge David McHugh remanded McGregor on continuing bail at Blanchardstown District Court, to decide how he intends to plead.
McGregor, with an address at The Paddocks, Castledillon, Straffan, Co Kildare is accused of two counts of dangerous driving, at the Lucan Road in Lucan and the N4 / M50 Interchange in Palmerstown, on March 22.
He is also charged with uninsured and unlicenced driving, as well as failing to produce his documents at a garda station within 10 days.
McGregor had been arrested on the day but was granted bail at Lucan garda station and released ahead of this morning's court appearance.
Garda Sergeant Maria Callaghan handed in evidence of arrest, charge and caution by certificate in relation to the dangerous driving charges.
Conor McGregor arrives at Blanchardstown District Court in Dublin in Dublin this morning. Picture Colin Keegan /Collins Photos
Garda Denis Lordan said he further charged the accused this morning on the four new counts relating to his licence and insurance.
He said Mc Gregor was charged before the court sitting at 10.55am and made no reply to each count after caution. He was handed copies of the charge sheets, the garda said.
Judge McHugh extended bail to cover the new charges and ordered the prosecution to disclose evidence to the defence. He adjourned the case to June 23, for compliance with that order and for the accused to either enter a plea or be given a trial date if he is contesting the charges.
Defence solicitor Michael Staines said he could confirm to the court that he had shown the gardai a copy of his client's insurance and driving licence.
McGregor arrived at the west Dublin courthouse in a 21-registered Rolls Royce, for his first appearance on the charges.
Dressed in a grey blazer, white shirt, dark striped tie, dark jeans and black shoes, he sat in the dock and looked around the courtroom, glancing up at the judge occasionally.
He was not required to address the court during the brief hearing and has not yet entered pleas to the charges.
McGregor declined to comment on the case outside court, but spoke briefly about his training.
“Straight back into training... I’m looking forward to getting back into the Octagon," he said.
Asked if he had an opponent in mind, he replied: “We’ll see what happens, the leg’s getting better every day so I’m happy with that. I think 170 is where I’m aiming for. I’m training hard. “
The charge of dangerous driving is under Section 53 of the Road Traffic Act. It alleges the accused drove in a manner, including speed, which, “having regard to all the circumstances of the case including the condition of the vehicle, the nature, condition and use of such place and the amount of the traffic… was dangerous to the public or was likely to be dangerous to the public.”
Conor McGregor arrives at Blanchardstown District Court in Dublin in Dublin this morning. Picture Colin Keegan /Collins Photos
On conviction, it carries a maximum punishment of a fine up to €5,000 or six months imprisonment, or both.
McGregor, the world's highest earning athlete in 2021, is believed to have been driving a 2019-registered €170,000 Bentley Continental GT at the time he was stopped.
After his arrest last month, his spokesperson said: “Mr McGregor was driving to the gym when he was stopped by gardaí for alleged road traffic violations. He passed the drug and alcohol tests taken at the station.”
A video from a passing car of McGregor being pulled over by the gardai went viral and was retweeted by McGregor.
Hours after the arrest, the Crumlin-born fighter posted a message on Instagram saying "tea always helps," with a picture of tea and muffins.
Several criminal prosecutions have brought McGregor before the courts in recent years.
In 2019, he was fined €1,000 but avoided jail after pleading guilty to assaulting a man at the Marble Arch pub in Drimnagh that April.
During that hearing the court was told McGregor had 18 previous convictions, mainly for road traffic charges, but one for assault, as well as public order offences.
Among his prior motoring cases, In 2018, he was banned from driving for six months and fined €1,000 at Naas District Court for speeding.
McGregor was caught driving at 154kph in a 100kph zone on the N7 in Co Kildare in the incident on October 11, 2017, and failed to pay the fixed penalty fine due to an administrative error, that court heard.
In November, 2017 McGregor was fined €400 for speeding in a separate incident on the Naas Road after he pleaded guilty at Blanchardstown District Court.
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