Xmas trip vehicle ended up in water

On the way home, a vehicle driven by Provisional Licence holder Karen Jayne McKessick (24), of Ashlea Drive, careered off the road through a wall and into a river.

The car was submerged in the water but the woman was able to struggle free although the car had to be declared a write-off, North Antrim Magistrates Court in Coleraine was told last week.

The drama unfolded at Castleroe Road, Coleraine, on November 20 last year when the court heard the vehicle left the road, smashed through a wall and plunged into a "small river".

The defendant was technically uninsured because she was not accompanied by a qualified driver. She also admitted driving without due care and attention; driving without a qualified driver and an L plate offence.

She was banned from the road for six months and fined a total of 550.

A prosecutor told the court police were called out to a damage only road traffic accident and they found a vehicle had left the road and driven into a river and the driver was located in the waterway.

A defence solicitor said his client got her Provisional Licence earlier in 2009 and had perhaps become "over confident" in her driving although she had not done her driving test.

On the day in question he said she decided to get some Christmas presents for her children and went out without an accompanying driver.

But on the way back she lost control of the vehicle.

He said it was "a very frightening experience" for his client as the car was submerged and she lost her handbag and several items with the car being a write-off. As well as that he said she had to pay 1,000 to repair the damaged wall.

The solicitor said his client was insured but the court heard that technically she wasn't as she was not accompanied by a qualified driver.