Driver caught on the road a week after he had been disqualified

David Jardine, Mountview Park, Banbridge, admitted driving while disqualified when he appeared last Thursday at Banbridge Magistrates’ Court.

For this offence he was sentenced to three months in prison, suspended for two years, and banned from driving for three years.

He was disqualified for two years and fined £200 for not having insurance and fined £100, with a £15 offender’s levy, for taking a vehicle without the consent of the owner.

The court heard that at 5.55am police noticed a vehicle being driven at excess speed on the Dromore Road, Banbridge.

When they spoke to Jardine who was driving he was very frank with them and admitted he had been disqualified from driving for three years the week before.

The vehicle belonged to his father who had not given him permission to drive it.

Jardine told police that needed to drive to get to his employment and took the keys.

His father knew nothing about it.

A solicitor representing the defendant said he held his hands up at the first opportunity.

He added that Jardine had been disqualified at Laganside on November 18.

The solicitor said he had been employed as a lorry driver and had informed his employer of the ban.

He explained that Jardine had been kept on as a yard man in Mallusk and succumbed to the temptation to take his father’s car.

He had a spare key to his father’s car.