Court gives repeat offender 12 months for drug-impaired driving

Reykjavík District Court has sentenced a man to 12 months in prison for driving while disqualified and under the influence of drugs, mbl.is reported. He has been banned from driving for life since 2018 and has repeatedly been jailed for driving despite the ban.

The court found that this was his tenth conviction for driving while disqualified and his sixth for driving under the influence of narcotics or other drugs. The count includes offences committed after he turned 18 and within the applicable repeat-offence period. The ruling was issued on Thursday and reaffirmed his lifetime driving ban.

Police stopped the man on Skemmuvegur in Kópavogur on January 20. Amphetamine was detected in his blood, and the court found that he was unable to drive safely because of its effects. He admitted the offences. The case was decided without further evidence after the prosecution and defence had an opportunity to address legal issues and sentencing. His lawyer sought the lightest sentence permitted by law.

The court record shows that he received a 45-day prison sentence for driving while disqualified in 2017. In 2018, he was sentenced to 15 months in prison and banned from driving for life, including for driving under the influence of drugs and while disqualified. He was subsequently jailed for driving while disqualified in 2019, 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025. Two of those cases also involved driving under the influence of drugs.

His most recent previous sentence was handed down on September 17, 2025. He received six months in prison for driving under the influence of drugs and while disqualified. Taking his previous offences, the case and sentencing practice into account, the court found that 12 months was appropriate. He was also ordered to pay 176,700 kroner in defence costs and 165,287 kroner in other court costs.