Ballymena businessman was caught speeding at 95mph on A1 while test driving a Range Rover, Craigavon court hears
A Ballymena businessman was caught speeding while test driving a Range Rover on the A1 dual carriageway, a court has heard.
Richard Stewart, aged 41, from Ballymena Road, Cullybackey, appeared before Craigavon Magistrates Court charged with speeding at 95mph on October 13 last year on the A1 within a 60mph limit.
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Stewart’s barrister Ms Ciara Ennis said her client, who owns his own business, had numerous references. District Judge Michael Ranaghan said it was “quite a body” of work.
The court heard police were overtaken by Stewart, driving a Range Rover, on the A1 dual carriageway at Dromore “at speed”. The defendant already had nine points on his licence.
Ms Ennis referred to Stewart’s references from people who he works with. “He has built up his own business and is a very successful business and is very much in demand. He travels all over the country and would do considerable mileage within the year.”
She also referred to a letter to the court sharing how sorry he is for speeding. She explained he was test driving the vehicle and he “simply didn’t realise how powerful it was”. She admitted this might be “undermined” by the fact that his nine points all relate to speeding offences.
Ms Ennis said his client’s licence was “essential” to conducting his business plus he has “extensive” caring responsibilities in relation to his mother.
She pointed to a letter from Parker Car Transport which would “speak to the social conscience” adding that she didn’t want to go into details. “That goes to the character of this man,” she said.
District Judge Ranaghan said he wouldn’t read out the paragraph from Parker Car Transport but “that is significant”.
“You are obviously a man with a real social conscience and you do a lot for others unbidden and perhaps not fully renumerated,” he said.
"You have also indicated in your own personal letter to the court the work that you did over the weekend following the storm and the effect it had on numerous people, putting in additional hours work and assisting them."
"You do deserve the leniency of the court,” said District Judge Ranaghan banning Stewart from driving for two days and ordering him to pay a £185 fine plus the £15 offender levy.