PRESIDENTIAL HOPEFUL GAVIN Duffy has expressed regret over a number of incidents that saw him fall foul of the law over his driving.
Speaking on Today with Sean O’Rourke on RTÉ Radio 1, the businessman claimed his “boy racer” days were over when asked about his historical driving convictions.
Last weekend, the Irish Mail on Sunday revealed how Duffy was involved in a crash that seriously injured a motorcyclist and saw him convicted for driving without insurance.
“That’s a day that lives with me ever since,” he told RTÉ.
“It’s one of those collisions that almost didn’t happen. In fact, had we crashed into one another the injuries might have been less, but she just clipped the front bumper of my car and had a very serious injury to her leg, and I had no insurance.”
Duffy did not directly address a subsequent disqualification he received after being caught driving without tax or insurance in 1981, but he did express remorse for a dangerous driving conviction he received in 1993.
On that occasion, he was caught by gardaí driving towards the brow of a hill in his Porsche at almost twice the 40mph speed limit.
“At that stage I’m 33, I’m married,” he said. “You know, I should have matured.”
Duffy said that while his dangerous driving was “inexcusable”, he suggested that his work in pirate radio may have led to a lower level of respect for the law than he should have had.
“I’ve always put my hand up and apologised about that, and in schools I talk about this when I talk to young [people]“.
He added that he has had a personal driver for a number of years, and that the “boy racer” of his 20s is “long behind” him at the age of 58.
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