Cars forced to take evasive action on A1

Bernadette Grieve, Cosby Avenue, Fairgreen Village, Portlaoise, was charged with dangerous driving on March 30 this year.

Her barrister told the local court, sitting in Newry, she would plead not guilty to that charge.

But he said his client would plead guilty to a lesser charge of careless driving.

The court heard that a police patrol vehicle on the A1 dual carriageway near Dromore was passed by a car which was travelling at speed in the outside lane.

Police saw the car continueto accelerate and it reached speeds of 90mph in a 60mph zone.

The vehicle also forced other road users to take evasive action in order to avoid a collision.

Police managed to catch up with the defendant but, the local court was told, it was another half a mile before they could stop her.

The defence barrister said Grieve had no convictions in any jurisdiction. He added that she had no points on her licence.

He explained that when police caught up with her she was behind a number of other vehicles. She had been visiting her sister on that day.

District Judge Eamonn King said that the consequences for the defendant if he convicted her for dangerous driving were a minimum ban of 12 months.

Turning to the facts he said she had been overtaking at speeds up to 90mph causing people in front of her to move over.

Judge King said he would acquit her of dangerous driving.

But he fined the defendant £200 for driving without due care and attention.

He also gave her three points on her driving licence and ordered her to pay a £15 offender’s levy.