Enniskillen Magistrates Court
A MAGUIRESBRIDGE man has been warned by a judge that if he’s caught using his phone while driving one more time he will be banned from the road.
Frank Dunne (42) of Gardiners Cross Road, Maguiresbridge appeared at Enniskillen Magistrates Court charged with driving while using a mobile phone and failing to produce his driving licence.
Around 11.50pm on Monday, July 10 police on Main Street, Newtownbutler, noticed the Dunne driving a Toyota Landcruiser holding a mobile phone up to his right ear, and appeared to be talking. Police stopped and spoke with the defendant, cautioning him for the offence.
Dunne was offered a fixed penalty fine for using a phone while driving, and as part of the penalty had to produce his driving licence at Enniskillen Police Station within 10 days. However, the self-employed farmer failed to do so and as such was not able to avail of the fixed penalty.
Defence solicitor Michelle McVeigh explained Dunne’s licence had been with the Driving and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) at the time, and he’d made efforts to have it returned. Ms McVeigh said Dunne already had six penalty points on the licence prior to this offence, and knew if he was to offend again he would be disqualified from driving on the basis he’d accumulated 12 or more points.
Referring to the fact Dunne held two previous convictions for driving while using a mobile phone, District Judge Nigel Broderick said if the defendant was before the court again on the same charge he would disqualify him.
Judge Broderick fined Dunne a total of £300 and endorsed three penalty points on his licence.
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