Man fined after portaloos fall into path of oncoming cars outside Magherafelt

Eamon P Donnelly, 35, of Gorticashel Road, Omagh, was fined £90 for having an insecure load on August 1 this year.

The court heard that police attended the scene on Moneymore Road at 8.45pm and, on arrival, found two vehicles involved.

One of them was a lorry tranporting portaloos and two of these had fallen from the vehicle, a prosecuting lawyer said.

A defence barrister said defendant was transporting 10 portaloos, a generator and two lighting towers.

“Two fell off the lorry on to the road,” he told District Judge Alan White.

He explained that on later examination the ratchet strap holding the two portaloos in place had a hairline crack which may have given way.

He added that the defendant was really not to blame and his insurance covered the damage.

Meanwhile, at the same court 27-year-old Martin Sean Henry was fined a total of £100 for having no driving licence and failing to produce his insurance.

The court heard that Henry, from Mullaghnamoyah Road, Portglenone, was stopped by police at Ballynagarve Road, Ballyronan on March 24 last.

A defence solicitor described the offences as “an oversight” on the part of the defendant.