Co Armagh man, who failed to give way to police at a Lurgan roundabout, told officers he wasn't concentrating as he was saying the Rosary
A Co Armagh man, who didn’t give way to police at a Lurgan roundabout, told officers he wasn’t concentrating as he was saying the Rosary.
The 66-year-old pleaded guilty at Craigavon Magistrates Court to having no driving licence and careless driving.
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A barrister for Simon Paul Doherty, from Woodville Street, Lurgan revealed his client already has 10 points on his licence.
The court heard that police were on mobile patrol in Victoria Street, Lurgan on March 30 this year approaching the roundabout at Lake Street.
They saw a Peugeot Partner vehicle pulling out onto the roundabout without giving way to the police vehicle. This caused the police vehicle to brake sharply.
When police stopped the vehicle, Doherty told them he wasn’t concentrating ‘as he was saying the Rosary as he was just coming from his wife’s grave’ and he apologised to police.
The court heard police checks showed the defendant hadn’t taken the test following a previous disqualification and therefore didn’t hold a valid driving licence.
He parked the vehicle at the side of the road and police brought him home.
Mr McKeown said the defendant hadn’t realised he had to resit his test. He said doing the test would “be very difficult for him as he is illiterate”.
The barrister said Doherty was coming from his wife’s grave and had “struggled greatly since her passing” and visits on an almost daily basis.
District Judge Michael Ranaghan banned Doherty from driving for two months on each of the charges, both to run concurrently. He also fined the defendant £150 for each offence plus a £15 offender levy.