Banbridge driver made a frank admission to police

Stephen Whiteside from Chinauley Park appeared at last week’s local court pleading guilty to charges of being an unaccompanied ‘l’ driver, no insurance, no ‘l’ plates and failing to inform DVA of change of keeper.

He was disqualified for three months and fined a total of £200. He also had to pay an offender’s levy of £15.

Whiteside was stopped by police on the Castlewellan Road on 7 May. Checks on the insurance revealed the BMW was registered to another male and that Whiteside only held a provisional licence.

He made full admissions to the other offences and told police that the car was mot’d and taxed in another man’s name as he would be less likely to be stopped by police.

A solicitor explained that her client worked as a store manager for a motorparts centre in Castlewellan.

She said prior to this job, he had been unemployed for eight months.

She explained how there was no direct bus service to Castlewellan.

“He purchased the car a year previously with the intention of doing his test. He sat his theory on 1 March and when he got the job he used the vehicle prior to completing his test. He realises it was foolish and irresponsible and he apologises.”

The solicitor explained that since the incident Whiteside has been using taxis at a cost of £100 per week as the car has since been seized and destroyed.

He was given eight weeks to pay the fines.