Teen ‘R’ driver banned for speeding at over 100mph

A TEENAGE ‘R’ driver has been banned for three months after police detected him speeding at over 100mph.

Aaron Hughes (18), of Crossnenagh Road, Armagh, was convicted of several driving offences at Dungannon Magistrates Court on Friday.

The court heard that, at 12.45pm on March 24, police on the Moy Road in Dungannon saw a vehicle overtake other cars at speed before continuing on the road.

The officers followed the vehicle and activated cruise control to determine the speed, which was logged at over 100mph.

After stopping the vehicle, the police identified the driver as Hughes and noticed that he was a restricted driver, although there were no plates displayed at the front. Checks of the car further revealed two defective tyres at the front, alongside issues with the lettering and spacing of his registration plates.

Before hearing the defence mitigation, Deputy District Judge Brian Archer said that Hughes ‘would not be keeping his licence’ that day.

Defence counsel Blaine Nugent told the court that the defendant’s partner was out with friends that night when they were let down by a taxi, prompting Hughes to lift them.

However, addressing the speed, the judge asked why he was driving 60mph in excess of the ‘R’ plate limit, and 40 above the road limit.

Mr Nugent spoke about how Hughes was an ‘industrious young man’ and was simply ‘doing a good deed’ by lifting his partner and her friends.

The barrister added that the defendant had replaced the tyres the next day, but also that he needed his licence for his work as a mechanic.

Judge Archer said he was ‘grateful’ that Hughes was still alive to attend court, citing the amount of deaths and injuries on the roads.

He added that there were speed limits ‘for a reason’.

Hughes was disqualified from driving for three months and fined £700.