Lurgan man, who didn't realise he had received a driving ban at an Antrim court, was caught driving while disqualified on the M1

Ronan Martin Austin, aged 40, from Ashdene Park, Lurgan, Co Armagh, appeared before Craigavon Magistrates Court on Wednesday charged with having no insurance and driving while disqualified.

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Austin had four penalty points from last September already on his licence. District Judge Michael Ranaghan told his solicitor Mr Peter Murphy that driving while disqualified carries a prison term.

The court heard that on April 11 this year police were on mobile patrol on the M1 when they spotted the defendant driving an Audi A5. Police systems detected the vehicle was not insured and the defendant received a six months driving ban at Antrim Magistrates Court on March 5.

District Judge Ranaghan said he didn’t regard it as a matter which passed the custody threshold.

Mr Murphy said the situation in March related to a no insurance and Austin was given a driving ban as he didn’t appear in court. “He knew nothing about the matter before the court."

The solicitor explained that due to moving house paperwork had not been passed and this led to a lapse in renewing his insurance.

The solicitor added that when Austin, who works full time for an Antrim firm, discovered he had been disqualified he immediately stopped driving. He has sold his vehicle and arranged for transport to work with a colleague.

For driving while disqualified, the defendant was fined £200 and banned from driving for three months. He was also given a £150 fine and a three months driving ban for having no insurance.