A Co Armagh man who a bought his daughter a car for her 21st birthday has been disqualified for three months as he was caught driving the vehicle without a licence.
The 45-year-old from The Diamond, Middletown, appeared before Armagh Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday charged with using a car without insurance and driving whilst disqualified.
The incident occurred on October 2, of 2016, at around 3.10pm when police were called to a road traffic collision on the Monaghan Road, Armagh.
Officers at the scene asked the defendant – one of those involved in the crash – for his licence and insurance but he was unable to do so.
Court heard that the defendant had been banned for three years back in February 2014 for driving whilst disqualified, with the prosecution adding that the initial offence had been drink driving.
Defence solicitor Jarlath Fields stated the defendant had no valid licence and was battling with “depression and alcohol problems”.
He added that his client was no attempting to deal with this through meetings.
The defence went on to explain the car had been a present for his daughter’s 21st birthday and the defendant had gone to pick it up.
Court also heard he lived on his own and due to living in a rural area and that he had wished to retake his driving test.
District Judge Paul Copeland commented that the defendant had a significant record but had “stayed out of trouble” since this offence.
He added that he was “optimistic” that the defendant was “putting in the effort to put it behind him”.
The 45-year-old was disqualified from driving for three months and ordered to pay a fine of £100 on each count, along with the offender’s levy of £15.
