'˜R' driver caught speeding at 85mph on the A1

When police followed a car on the A1 carriageway they had to drive at speeds of up to 85mph to keep up with it.

And when they stopped and spoke to the driver of the vehicle they discovered he was an ‘R’ driver.

Cahir McCooey (19), Moyrourkan Road, Tandragee, was fined £100 last Thursday at Banbridge Magistrates Court, sitting in Newry, for exceeding the 45mph limit for a restricted driver.

He was also given five points and ordered to pay a £15 offender’s levy.

The court heard that on February 1 this year at 9pm a police patrol on the A1 dual carriageway near Banbridge saw a vehicle travelling at speed in the outside lane.

They followed it and their speedometer reached 85mph before the other vehicle went off at the Dromore Road, again travelling at speed.

They stopped the vehicle and spoke to McCooey who was driving and noted he was a restricted driver.

They told him he would be reported.

A barrister representing the defendant said his client knew his behaviour was unacceptable .

He told the court it was a bad piece of driving by a young man who at the time was subject to restrictions.

He explained that McCooey lived in a rural area outside Tandragee and relied on his mother and father’s goodwill to get to work and the use of his father’s car which he was driving this day.

The lawyer added that when this matter was brought to the attention of his parents they imposed restrictions on him so that it wouldn’t happen again.

He faced a possible disqualification and would have to re-sit his test.

He said that if the court imposed six points the defendant would also have to re-sit the test.

He asked the court to stay its hand on that and consider a penalty short of that so McCooey could continue with his apprenticeship.

Imposing five points Deputy District Judge Laura Ievers said she was prepared to give him an opportunity.

She then told the defendant’s mother, who was in court, that her son must learn to keep his speed down.

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