Ballymena: court is told a washing line was used to tow car through town centre

Ciprian Lakatos (36), with an address listed as Cookstown Road, Moneymore, committed the offences on December 27, 2023.

He admitted charges of using a vehicle in a dangerous condition; driving without due care and attention; absence of insurance for a Skoda and permitting a person to use a Renault without insurance and licence.

Meanwhile, on July 8 last year, the defendant was spotted using a hand-held mobile phone whilst driving in Ballymena.

Regarding the car towing incident, a prosecutor told Ballymena Magistrates' Court police saw a Skoda Octavia towing a Renault Clio at Parkway close to Thomas Street.

The Renault nearly collided with the rear of the Skoda, veering wide at junctions; and almost collided with a parked car.

Police stopped the vehicles. Lakatos was driving the Skoda, a prosecutor said.

The prosecutor said police observed the Renault was being towed by "a piece of washing line, doubled over". The distance between the vehicles was 1.9 metres.

The defendant owned both vehicles, the prosecutor said, and after the Renault would not start he told police it was being towed to get work carried out on it. A friend was driving it.

The defendant works at a car wash, the court was told.

A defence lawyer said the defendant was insured for the Renault but "jumped into the Skoda, the front vehicle," because he was the more experienced driver.

District Judge Nigel Broderick said the defendant had an "awful record" for absence of insurance - six previous offences - and was in breach of a suspended sentence.

Judge Broderick said there was "every reason" why the defendant should go to jail.

He told the defendant: "The only thing saving you from prison is the fact you are working and you are prepared to do Community Service which is a direct alternative to imprisonment. If you breach any of these court orders you will go straight to prison".

The judge varied the three months suspended prison sentence to run for the next two years; the defendant was ordered to do 200 hours of Community Service; he was banned from driving for a year; and was fined £400.