A Derry man has been jailed for four weeks after driving from his home city to Kerry to buy two pups.
Kevin McGowan, with an address at Mulroy Gardens, Creggan Estate in the city, was arrested by gardai almost 250 miles (400km) from home on Thursday morning.
The 26-year-old was stopped at a checkpoint under Operation Fanacht - set up to ensure compliance with Covid-19 guidelines - at Dooneen, near Castlisland and claimed he was going to Tralee to turn off an alarm.
When he failed to produce photographic ID or a driving licence he was told to return to Derry.
He then took off at speed and a description was circulated to other garda units in the area resulting in McGowan's arrest between Farranfore and Killarney a short time later.
He then told gardaí he was in Kerry to buy two pups and was subsequently arrested and was brought to Tralee Garda Station before appearing at Tralee District Court where he pleaded guilty to a breach of the Health (Preservation and Protection and other Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act 2020).
He was sentenced to a month in jail and has been freed on bail pending an appeal.
