Was driving at 90mph on the carriageway

A motorist who drove at 90mph on the A1 dual carriageway was banned from driving for three months last Thursday at Banbridge Magistrates Court.

Matthew Crothers McGaffin (30), Parkstown Lane, Gilford, was also fined £250 for excess speed and ordered to pay a £15 offender’s levy.

The court heard he was travelling at 90mph in a 70mph zone on October 18 last year.

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A solicitor representing the defendant said that he already had ten points on his licence.

The imposition of the minimum three points would mean he would face an automatic six month ban on the tot up system.

The defendant’s solicitor asked the court to use its discretion and impose a shorter period of disqualification.

He explained that McGaffin has his own business and employed nine people. He travelled every day to supervise work.

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He added that the defendant should have known better than anyone about speeding but this happened on a Sunday afternoon and he did not realise he was over the 70mph limit.

If he lost his licence for six months this would impact on his own personal circumstances and would affect others as well, said the solicitor.

He simply couldn’t work at the business which he had built up over a number of years.

District Judge Rosalie Prytherch said the defendant’s record showed his ‘disregard for the rules of the road’ and the fact that he did not know he was driving at 90mph was a cause of concern for the court.

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She added that speed was connected with so many accidents so it was ‘reprehensible’ to drive at this speed.

The judge decided to leave the ten points on the defendant’s licence and ban him for three months.