Enniskillen Magistrates Court
A 52-year-old man has escaped jail for having no driving licence and insurance when he was detected riding a bike with an engine mounted on it.
Enniskillen Magistrates Court heard on Wednesday that police were on duty at Moorlough Road, Lisnaskea at 1.45pm on September 13th when they observed a pedal push bike with a motor engine on it travelling in the direction of Newtownbutler.
Noel Kavanagh of Main Street in Lisnaskea was detected riding on the Goldrush Mountain Bike wearing a helmet and it was noted that a combustion engine complete with fuel tank had been mounted on the bicycle.
Defence solicitor Sean McHugh described the case involving his client as “unusual”, telling the court that Kavanagh had purchased the bike privately which had been adapted for use on a public road through the installation of an engine fuelled-tank.
Mr McHugh said his client, who had been disqualified from driving, hadn’t been aware this was a vehicle requiring a licence. He said Kavanagh had the bike for one month but had since disposed of it.
District Judge Nigel Broderick noted that Kavanagh could have bought an ordinary bike to cycle on the road and questioned if he had been using the bike to circumvent his transport difficulties.
Referring to a pre-sentence report which had been prepared in the case, Mr McHugh pointed out that Kavanagh had previously impressed the Probation Service in their dealings with him and that he felt his client would benefit from a period of supervision.
Pointing out that Kavanagh was in breach of a suspended sentence, the judge warned Kavanagh against any further re-offending or he would activate this and send him to prison.
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