MMA fighter who drove while uninsured and disqualified given community service

Anzor Atsaev (29) was already banned from driving when he got behind the wheel to rush to see his ex-partner, who was ill.

Atsaev, a father-of-two from Castlegrane Avenue, Castaheaney, Dublin 15 admitted driving without a licence or insurance.

The case was heard previously at Blanchardstown District Court and came back before Judge David McHugh for a community service suitability report.

The report was favourable, the accused had co-operated with the probation service and the judge made the order in lieu of a three-month prison sentence.

Earlier, the court heard Atsaev was stopped driving on the M50 in Finglas on August 13, 2019.

His previous convictions included five for uninsured driving and he was already disqualified at the time, the court was told.

On the day, the accused was rushing to see his ex-partner who was ill. He had not been driving since and apologised for the offences, his solicitor John O’Doherty said.

Atsaev had come to Ireland from Chechnya as a refugee with his family when he was a child. He did a course in sports management after school, then boxed for six years before becoming a mixed martial arts cage fighter for two years.

He had sustained an injury but hoped to return to that employment.