Ban for motorist who had driven at 'excessive speed' to beat bumper-to-bumper queue near schools in Antrim town
A motorist who drove at 'excessive speed' on the wrong side of plastic bollards which were there to prevent overtaking in the area of schools in Antrim town, said he was in a rush for a medical appointment
He admitted driving without due care and attention in the vicinity of Antrim Grammar School, Parkhall Integrated College and Steeple Nursery School on the afternoon of Wednesday February 5 last year.
Antrim Magistrates Court, sitting in Ballymena, heard it happened after 3pm at "getting out time". In a bid to "beat the queue", Sean Connor Duffy (49), of Sixmilewater Mill Drive in Antrim, had driven in excess of the speed limit past bumper-to-bumper vehicles and "forced" his way into the queue.
The speed limit for the area was not mentioned at court but according to Google Street View there is a 5mph speed limit on a road near the schools.
Footage was played to District Judge Nigel Broderick who asked: "Why did he not take his place in the queue and wait like everyone else?"
A defence lawyer said the defendant was late for a health appointment and had made a "very poor decision".
Judge Broderick said it had been a "bad piece of driving" and said the defendant "should have had patience".
He added: "There must be a deterrence to this because it is a school environment and there are schoolchildren milling about right, left and centre and that is why people should drive slowly and carefully and obey any road traffic guidance or regulations."
The defendant was banned from driving for for one month and was fined £250.