Driver Derek McGarrity caught speeding on M1 motorway after taking part in the Omagh Rally, Craigavon court hears
A top Northern Ireland rally driver and helicopter pilot has narrowly escaped losing his licence after being caught speeding on the M1.
Derek McGarrity, aged 59, from Augunabrack Road, Mallusk, appeared before Craigavon Magistrates Court charged with speeding.
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McGarrity’s solicitor said his client’s licence is with the DVA in Coleraine and has three penalty points on it.
The court heard that on September 21 last year at 4.30pm, police saw a BMW X5 travelling at 102mph on the M1 motorway. Police spoke with the defendant, who was the driver.
McGarrity’s lawyer said his client had “quite unusually” taken part in the Omagh Rally earlier that day.
“There were 10 stages in the race and he told me he only came tenth but his average speed on the day when taking part in the rally was approximately 100mph,” said the lawyer.
"Given the fact that he is a professional driver and returning home in his own car, he instructs that he lost track of what speed he was doing on the motorway. He was driving much slower than he had been the rest of the day, Your Worship,” said solicitor.
"His licence is absolutely essential. He is a professional helicopter pilot and has to drive to work in order to helicopter persons to Scotland, back and forth,” he revealed adding the other three points were imposed very recently.
The solicitor said his client is aware of the possibility of losing his licence but hopes that won’t be the case and is in a position to pay any fine the court may impose given his profession as a professional helicopter pilot.
District Judge Michael Ranaghan said: “Obviously you are a better driver than I am and a more trained driver than I am but the speed limits are there for a reason.”
He added that, given everything Mr Higgins had said, it would be “disproportionate” to disqualify McGarrity from driving “which I normally would do”.
"It will be the maximum penalty points Mr McGarrity. In your circumstances that takes you perilously close to disqualifications and all the impact that would have on you and your family. You need to be very careful going forward,” said the district judge, giving him six penalty points and ordering him to pay £185 plus the £15 offender levy.