A 26-year-old woman who has amounted some 103 convictions has been banned from driving after she tail-gated another driver and then clipped the side of the car as she overtook him.
Vick Millar, admitted to charges of careless driving, failing to stop where an accident had occurred and failing to remain where an accident caused damage.
Millar, of Deverney Par, Omagh, was fined a total of £250 and had six penalty points endorsed on her licence resulting in a driving ban of six months.
The court was told that Millar has six live penalty points on his licence.
Explaining the background of the case, a prosecutor told the court that on March 2, police received a report from the injured party stating that he had been driving his car on the Irvinestown Road at around 6pm that day when another vehicle collided with his car but did not stop.
He told police that a Lexus, driven by the defendant, had been following behind his vehicle for a while so close that he could not see the lights in the rear mirror.
Millar then overtook the driver but hit the side of his vehicle.
Police later found the identification of the driver while the defendant confirmed it was her and she was the one who had been driving.
Milar was arrested on suspicion of dangerous driving.
A copy of the accused’s record was handed in to court.
Defence solicitor Heather Phillips said it was an “unusual case” because the driver had described her client as a male with a tight hair cut.
“She volunteered she was the driver and provided a detailed account of what happened,” she added.
“She gave an answer to every question. It appears that he pulled out into the road in front of her and she perhaps did travel behind at a distance that was not sufficient.
“He was sporadically breaking throughout the journey and she overtook him because of his driving. It was a case of poor driving with both parties in this.”
District Judge Nigel Broderick stated that Millar has 15 entries for road traffic offences and 103 convictions and is “no stranger to court”.
Ms Phillips added: “She had a very difficult background and has taken steps to remove herself from the lifestyle she was engaged in.”
District Judge Nigel Broderick remarked that that may explain public order offences but not driving matters.
“For the first time she is getting her affairs in order,” Ms Phillps continued.
Judge Broderick added that the aggravating features of the case was her “poor piece of driving” and the allegation of tail-gating and overtaking causing damage to the other vehicle and that her driving history is also poor.”
A charge of dangerous driving was withdrawn by the Public Prosecution Service and Millar admitted to careless driving.
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