Co Tyrone joiner, who crashed his Audi A4 on the M1 near Portadown, had modified his car, Craigavon court hears

Caolan McNally, aged 20, from Ardglena, Dungannon, appeared before Craigavon Magistrates Court on Tuesday charged with careless driving, no insurance, using a motor vehicle in a dangerous condition, failing to notify change of keeper and incorrect form of registration mark.

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McNally’s barrister Mr Patrick Taylor said his client pleaded guilty to all the charges before the court.

The court heard that on Wednesday, August 28, last year at 1.22pm police attended a two-vehicle crash on the east-bound carriageway of the M1 motorway between Junctions 11 and 12 at Portadown.

The defendant was driving an Audi A4 which struck the rear of a Suzuki Vitara which was in Lane One. The Audi A4, driven by the defendant, received “severe frontal impact damage”, the court heard.

"It came to a rest approximately 140m away from the Suzuki Vitara which sustained damage to its rear,” said the Prosecutor, who said a “large portion” of the central barrier and vertical posts holding the barrier in place were “badly damaged” due to the Audi A4 crashing into it.

Later the injured party made a statement of complaint. Police also conducted an examination of the Audi A4 and “a number of vehicle modifications” and “dangerous defects” were noted.

The rear number plate was also “incorrectly formatted”. During interview the defendant admitted that he hadn’t informed the DVA of the various modifications conducted on the Audi A4, adding he had only owned the vehicle three weeks prior to the crash.

Furthermore, the court was told that while the defendant had an insurance policy with Admiral it was invalid as McNally hadn’t told them about the modifications to his vehicle.

Mr Taylor said his client was also a Restricted driver. The barrister added McNally’s careless driving was due to “inattention on his part rather than any recklessness”.

"He’s an inexperienced driver and that accounts for the collision in the case,” said Mr Taylor, adding his client genuinely believed he had insurance.

The barrister said he tentatively urged District Judge Michael Ranaghan to consider a short disqualification as six penalty points “would put him off the road”.

Mr Taylor said his client works as a joiner and any prolonged loss of his ability to drive would affect his future employment.

The District Judge said: “I don’t understand why young men especially make these modifications to vehicles which then present a danger to other people. That is the aggravating feature in this case.”

For the careless driving, no insurance and using a vehicle in a dangerous condition, McNally was banned from driving for six weeks plus £50 fines on each charge.

For failing to notify the authorities about the modifications and the incorrect registration plate offences he was fined £75 on each of the charges.

District Judge Ranaghan said he would give the defendant 18 weeks to pay.