Police at Cookstown spot car 'bouncing off the ground' with black smoke coming from its exhaust

Before the court was 21-year-old John Mullan from Cherry Hill, Cookstown, who was fined a total of £450 with a £15 offender's levy.

Mullan admitted charges of having a defective exhaust and silencer system, using a vehicle in a dangerous condition, and having an incorrect form of registration mark.

The court was told police were on mobile patrol at approximately 11.30pm on August 26 last year when they observed the vehicle at Moneymore Road, Cookstown.

Prosecuting counsel said they stopped the car and detected that the exhaust was hanging off and the springs secured by cable ties as well as other defects.

Defence solicitor Stephen Atherton explained when the defendant bought the vehicle he believed it to be road worthy as it was MoT'd and taxed.

Mr Atherton stressed the defendant had cooperated fully with the police and the defects were remedied right away.

He described Mullan as an industrious young man who worked within the car industry at Coagh and required his licence to get there at six o'clock each morning.

Imposing the fines, Deputy District Judge Sean O'Hare said from pictures of the vehicle he would have thought it would be apparent to the defendant that something was wrong with it.

He told Mullan if he keeps on racking up this type of offending he will find himself without a driving licence unless he "wised up".