Dunmurry man caught in the driver’s seat with no driving licence or insurance told PSNI officers he had only turned the engine on to charge the battery

William Samuel McGinnis, 46, whose address was given as Ballybog Road in Dunmurry, appeared before Lisburn Magistrates Court to answer the charges.

The court heard that on September 13, 2024 at 8.45pm police observed a Volkswagen Golf on the Ballybog Road in Dunmurry. It was stated that the lights of the vehicle were on and the engine was running.

Checks showed the vehicle wasn’t insured.

Police spoke with the defendant, who was in the driver’s seat. The defendant told officers that he was not driving and that he had turned the engine on to charge the battery.

However, CCTV footage showed the defendant driving the vehicle in the area at the time.

Checks also showed that he did not have a valid driving licence, having been disqualified from driving in 2007.

A defence lawyer told the court: “He had driven the vehicle a short distance. He was due to meet his niece, who was to take the car off him.

"The car had been idling to keep the engine running as it hadn’t been driven for some time.

"He is hopeful of regaining his licence at some point. This is at the lower end of offending.”

District Judge Rosie Watters disqualified the defendant from driving for six months.

On the charge of having no insurance, Ms Watters imposed a fine of £250, and on the charge of no driving licence she imposed a fine of £100, as well as an offender’s levy of £15.