'Outrageous' says Craigavon judge after a delivery driver from Rostrevor is caught driving at 96mph on A1

Dylan Tinnelly, from Sangsters Court, Rostrevor, appeared before Craigavon Magistrates Court accused of speeding on February 1 this year after he was caught by police speed checks travelling at 96mph in a 60mph zone on the A1 dual carriageway.

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District Judge Philip Mateer said: “96.”

Tinnelly’s barrister Mr Bobbie Rea said: “I will have to accept that is going to test Your Worship’s good patience. It is a high speed.”

Mr Rea pointed out that the defendant pleaded guilty pending the available references, specifically from his headmaster.

The barrister also claimed that no other traffic was ‘inconvenienced’.

He pointed out the importance of the defendant’s licence for his employment as a delivery driver.

"His job and employment are immediately reliant on his licence,” said Mr Rea, who also said Tinnelly has eight live points on his licence already.

The barrister informed the court that if Tinnelly was disqualified for a period of time, his employers would ‘try their best’ to permit him to keep his job and perhaps accommodate him via other means.

District Judge Philip Mateer said the defendant is entitled to “some credit” for his guilty plea which will mean a “discount” on his sentence if he had been found guilty by the court.

"Mr Rea has said everything he can for this young man. He is 23 years of age and he has three previous appearances already before the court – all of which were as a result of his driving,” he said.

The district judge pointed out that on September 24, 2021 the defendant was fined for speeding and given three points. Also on September 2, 2022 he was back before the courts, again for speeding and fined with a further three points. Then on June 8, 2023 he was guilty of careless driving, fined and given penalty points.

"On February 1, this year, he was detected on a Saturday evening at about half 11 on the A1 doing 96 in a 60mph zone,” he said.

"I have read the reference from his former headmaster who speaks highly of him and the reference from his employer. It doesn’t give me any pleasure that a person may well lose his job as a driver as the law says it has to be a commensurate sentence for someone who is doing 96 in a 60 zone and has a previous history of complete disregard of the speed limits,” said the district judge, banning Tinnelly from driving for 12 months.

"96 in a 60 is an outrageous speed and he will need to know that when you come before the courts doing that kind of speed there will be severe punishment,” added the district judge.

He fined Tinnelly £400 plus the offender levy of £15.

"He’s turned up here twice and taken time off to do so, so I will give him 26 weeks to pay,” said District Judge Mateer