Speed was '˜excessive and dangerous'

Rodney Gordon Hanna, whose address was given as Florenceville, Magheralin, was also fined £250 for an excess speed offence and ordered to pay a £15 offender’s levy.

The court heard that on August 10 this year he was detected travelling at 100mph in a 70mph limit on the A1 near Banbridge.

A barrister representing Hanna said it was a significant speed.

He added that the offence happened in the afternoon and that the road conditions were good at the time.

There were no other issues about the way he was driving.

The barrister said that his client took the matter seriously and his licence was vital to him.

He lived in a rural area and his mother relied on him as well as his children when they visited.

District Judge, Mr Paul Copeland, said this was a road which had seen many serious and indeed fatal accidents and driving at 100mph was both excessive and dangerous.

He added excess speed was a major factor in serious road traffic accidents and no acceptable reason had been proffered by the defendant for driving at that speed.