'Prominent potato farmer' caught using his mobile phone whilst driving for the fourth time

Adrian David Burns, 53, whose address was given as Benagh Road in Kilkeel, appeared before Lisburn Magistrates Court charged with using a mobile phone whilst driving, as well as failing to wear a seatbelt.

The court heard that on January 31, 2025 at 9.50am, police on patrol on the M1 close to Applegreen Service Station in Lisburn, noted that the driver of a blue van was using a mobile phone.

The police stopped the vehicle and spoke with the driver, also noting that he was not wearing a seatbelt at the time.

A defence lawyer told the court the defendant was one of the most prominent potato farmers in the country.

He continued: "An employee who had been doing deliveries had committed suicide so he (the defendant) had been doing deliveries that day.

"He had been on the phone to his son to make sure the business was ok to allow him to go to the funeral.

"He had no seatbelt on to allow him to skip in and out of the vehicle to get the deliveries done. He regrets his actions.”

District Judge Rosie Watters pointed out that this was the defendant’s fourth charge for using a mobile phone whilst driving.

She disqualified him from driving for six months.

On the charge of using a mobile phone she imposed a fine of £250, and on the charge of not wearing a seatbelt, she imposed a fine of £150, as well as an offender’s levy of £15.