£100 fine for local driver

When a Lisburn woman moved from an outside lane to the inside she caused a police vehicle to brake sharply, Craigavon Magistrates Court heard last Wednesday.

Hazel Jean Gregg (58), Hancock Street, Lisburn, was fined £100 for driving without due care and attention on March 17 this year.

She was also given three points and ordered to pay a £15 offender’s levy.

For having a child in the car without the proper restraint she was fined £50.

The court heard that at 6pm on the Northway at Portadown Gregg was travelling in the right hand lane when she moved into the inside lane.

A police vehicle travelling in that lane had to brake and steer away to avoid a collision.

There was a young child in the rear of the car. She had no booster seat and had the safety belt across her neck.

When she was spoken to by the police Gregg began laughing and said she had nine points on her licence. She added: “I’m sorry.”

A barrister representing the defendant said that only six of those points were live.

He explained that her reaction was more nervous laughter at being stopped by police. She thought she had the space to make the manoeuvre.

District Judge, Mrs Bernie Kelly, wondered if Gregg could not tell distances should she be driving.

The barrister said she had since got seats for the child and needed her car to get her daughter to and from medical appointments.

Judge Kelly told the defendant she could ‘count her herself lucky’ and if she was in court again she would have her licence taken off her.

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