Police saw man riding ‘home-made’ petrol scooter without lights

Valentin Batca (42), of Casement Street in the town, pleaded guilty at Ballymena Magistrates Court to offences including using a motorised vehicle in a dangerous condition and without lights, a horn, number plate and MOT.

He had no driving licence and was not wearing a helmet.

A prosecutor said from a distance police at first thought a person wearing a hi-vis jacket was walking in the middle of the road.

They then noticed the person was “travelling at speed” and as they got closer they saw a person riding a small motorised scooter-type vehicle which had had no lights or reflectors.

The scooter was also in a “dangerous state of repair” as it had been “modified” with “poor overall structural welding” and “defective brakes” and no lights, indicators, reflectors, number plates or horn.

District Judge Nigel Broderick was shown photos of the scooter.

The defendant told the court he works in Moy Park and he was “sorry” for the offences.

He said he had built the scooter himself and had taken it out before he had it finished its construction to go to work.