Co Antrim motorist at wheel of 'material handler' swerved whilst using mobile phone

Steven Adair (18), of Fernisky Park in Kells, admitted charges of using a mobile phone whilst driving and insurance and driving licence offences.

Antrim Magistrates Court, sitting in Ballymena, was told a police patrol in Antrim town detected the offences on August 23 last year.

The defendant was driving a 'material handler type vehicle' and officers could see him looking down and he was "typing on a mobile phone device held in his right hand".

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He was looking away from the road ahead and police saw the vehicle "swerve towards the centre white line nearly crossing into lane two as another vehicle passed" before being corrected.

A defence solicitor said it was a "plant machinery type vehicle" which was unable to do more than 15mph.

He said there had been no toilet at a work site and after being "caught short" the defendant was driving to 'The Junction' shopping complex to use public toilets there.

The defendant was "trying to change a song on the radio with his phone". The defendant was banned from driving for two months and was fined £500.