Lurgan man, who was having a 'boys' night in', drove to McDonald's in Portadown when his friends got hungry, court hears

Jack Truesdale, aged 22, from Darling Avenue, Lurgan, Co Armagh appeared before Craigavon Magistrates Court on Friday charged with having no insurance.

The court heard that on March 10 this year at around 12.45 in the morning police were in the Meadow Lane area of Portadown when they spotted a car driving towards the Meadows Shopping Centre.

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Police conducted checks which showed the car was not insured. The driver was stopped by police and when he identified himself he was give seven days to produce his insurance to the nearest police station but Truesdale failed to do so within the required time.

The Lurgan man’s solicitor Mr Pat Vernon revealed that his client was a 22-year-old single man who worked as an engineer. He said Truesdale had owned a car previously and had insurance on that vehicle. However he had only had this latest car a couple of weeks and hadn’t got enough of the money together to insure it.

"It was quarter to one in the morning and he was in the house with a number of other friends having a boys’ night in. They all felt hungry and decided they wanted food. No one else had a car and he foolishly offered to drive to McDonald’s. He holds his hands up and accepts it was a stupid idea,” said Mr Vernon.

The solicitor added that Truesdale’s car was seized and he couldn’t afford to recover it. “The car cost him £400, so he suffered that loss,” said Mr Vernon.

Craigavon District Judge Michael Ranaghan said: “Tell him the way you have dealt with the matter today has saved him from disqualification and it means I can apply the minimum penalty points which are six.

"The fine has been reduced as well given the early plea, it is one of £185 with the £15 Offender Levy attached. I will allow Mr Truesdale a total of 12 weeks to pay.”