Judge tells Antrim part-time firefighter: 'You more than anyone should understand consequences of speeding'
A judge told a part-time firefighter caught driving at a "motorway speed" in a 40mph zone that in his role he would be aware that death can result from speeding.
District Judge Nigel Broderick was speaking to William Glover (37), of Birch Hill Park in Antrim town, at Antrim Magistrates Court, sitting in Ballymena on Tuesday.
He was detected doing 72mph in a 40mph zone on May 10 this year but the location was not outlined at court.
Character references were provided to the court from Alderman John Smyth, a current councillor and a former mayor of Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council as well as from a Fire and Rescue Service commander.
Judge Broderick quoted from Alderman Smyth's reference in which the councillor said: 'William admits he has been a bit heavy on the pedal but I believe he has learnt his lesson and will endeavour to not do this again'.
The court was told the defendant is a duty manager at a leisure centre and is also a part-time firefighter.
A defence solicitor said the defendant "sincerely regrets" the offence which had happened where a 40mph zone becomes a 70mph zone and he "should know better".
Judge Broderick said the defendant was "doing a motorway speed" in a 40 zone which he said was "far too high a speed".
Picking up on the part-time firefighter role, the judge told the defendant: "In that role you, more than anyone, will understand the implications of speeding and the consequences that can have. It can result in road traffic collisions that can either result in serious injury or God forbid a fatality."
He banned the defendant from driving for a month and fined him £200.