Teen R-driver caught doing 79mph '˜rushing home' after grandmother's stroke

Arkadiusz Janusz Mikolajczyk, 19, from Hollyfields, overtook a police car on the A4 on the night of April 5. They assessed his speed to be an average of 79mph after noting his R-plates.

Mr Jarlath Faloon, defending, told the court that his client’s grandmother had taken ill with a stroke and he was rushing home.

He said that the full time IT student required the car to get him to his part time job with Costcutters.

Handing down a one month ban and £200 fine, Deputy District Judge Trevor Browne said, “You were well in excess of the R-driver limit and well in excess of the speed limit.

“Your ability as a restricted driver to cope in an emergency situation at that speed was limited.”

Judge Browne further imposed an offender’s levy of £15.