Eglish entertainer and musician caught travelling on M1 near Portadown at 94mph

Joseph O’Rourke McVeigh, aged 27, from Eglish Road, Dungannon, appeared before Craigavon Magistrates Court on Friday charged with speeding.

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The court heard McVeigh was driving on the M1 near Portadown on December 28 last year at around 11.45pm police spotted his car travelling at 94mph. McVeigh has nine live penalty points.

District Judge Francis Rafferty said: “This is his fourth excess speed.”

His lawyer said McVeigh is a musician and entertainer and plays live music in a range of pubs and clubs as well as weddings, all across the jurisdiction. “His licence is essential to him keeping that employment,” said his lawyer.

“He is obviously a well thought of man in the local community and his licence is essential to his employment,” he said.

District Judge Rafferty said: “Well obviously not essential to his employment since he treats it with such disregard. He has three previous findings of excess speed in the last two years. For someone who claims their licence is essential, it’s obviously not essential.”

McVeigh’s lawyer said: “His licence is important, if I can put it in those terms. He appears with no record and pleaded guilty at the first opportunity.”

District Judge Rafferty said he would get credit for that. “In the normal course of events I would be imposing at least three penalty points and a six months disqualification, so he can have, in the alternative, a three months disqualification, a fine of £300 plus the Offender Levy.”

He was given 12 weeks to pay.