Man who drove nine times with no insurance gets prison term

John Quentin McArthur (34), of Somerset Park, was also banned from driving for three years when he appeared at Coleraine Magistrates Court last Tuesday.

The latest offences were detected in the Ballymoney and Coleraine areas in March and April this year.

Defence barrister Alan Stewart said the court might think that McArthur was “giving the proverbial two fingers” to the law but he said the offences happened at a time when his client was struggling with personal circumstances.

He said McArthur was not acting in a cavalier fashion but was a man of “low intellect” which impacted on the decisions he made.

District Judge Liam McNally said the defendant knew he was in the wrong. He told McArthur that after he had appeared before him previously for driving without insurance he had given him a suspended sentence but that the “reward” was further offences.

* A Portstewart man has been banned from driving for four months and fined £200 for driving offences.

Stephen Laurence Clyde (23), of Convention Avenue, appeared at Coleraine Magistrates Court last Tuesday and admitted charges of driving without insurance; being an unaccompanied learner driver and failing to display ‘L’ plates in Portstewart on March 25 this year.

* A Coleraine man caught with over 30 grammes of cannabis and 30 Diazepam tablets has had an intent to supply charge withdrawn after he pleaded guilty to possession charges.

Dylan Greer (20), of Ashdale, had the offences detected in the run up to Christmas last year.

At Coleraine Magistrates Court on May 16 the case was adjourned to June for the preparation of a pre-sentence report.