Rasharkin man convicted of speeding

At North Antrim Magistrates Court in Coleraine on Friday Paul Michael Douglas (59), of Rockview Park, contested the charge.

He was found guilty of committing the offence at Coleraine Road, Portrush, on March 27 this year.

He was detected driving at 45mph in a 30mph zone.

A Roads Policing officer who detected Douglas said when he stopped him at the scene and cautioned him he made no reply.

Douglas represented himself in court and cross-examined the police officer.

Douglas said he believed that since 2005 speed cameras and speed patrols were meant to be visible from at least 700 yards away and he said he could not see any ‘repeater’ signs inside the town saying it was a 30mph zone.

The police officer said he was unaware of the claims about visibility and said he was wearing a hi-vis jacket and he said he would have seen Douglas before he noticed him.

The officer said there was a 30mph sign at the edge of the town and said that in the built-up area there would be no repeater signs in a 30mph zone as they only come into play every 150 yards in 40mph and 50mph zones.

Douglas said because of an electrical fault he operated his vehicle by putting a speed into cruise control and he said it was not capable of going over 50mph and he had set it at 30mph in the night in question.

District Judge Richard Wilson said he was satisfied that the case against Douglas was proven and he found him guilty of speeding and fined the defendant 60 along with three penalty points.