Hotel worker banned from the roads

Rebecca Ann Hunter (28) from Carson Villas, Upperlands, was detected by police in the vicinity of Lawford Street, Moneymore, on September 21, 2020.

District Judge Oonagh Mullan - sitting at Magherafelt Magistrates Court on Wednesday, February 16 - remarked that the defendant already had six penalty points for a speeding offence.

She imposed a fine of £250 with six penalty points for the insurance matter and disqualified her for six months on the tot-up of points.

The judge noted that the defendant had been driving without insurance since 2019.

Defence solicitor Stephen Atherton the defendant is a young lady who was holding down a job which involved shift work at a hotel in Cookstown.

He said she had not realised the points from the speeding offence were still live and that taken with the insurance matter would result in the loss of her employment.

Mr Atherton pleaded with the court not to impose a disqualification on this occasion.

He said the defendant was sorry and remorseful for her actions.

Judge Mullan said she should not have got into the car to drive if it was not insured.

Referring to a police report of the incident, she said there was a young child in the rear of the vehicle on this occasion which made matters worse.

The judge said she would keep the fine to the minimum given the defendant’s present circumstances.

Ms Mullan also ordered Hunter to pay a £15 offender levy in respect of the matter.