A 23-year-old Enniskillen man, who is a trainee surveyor, who damaged a a public payphone, has been fined £300 following a recent sitting of Fermanagh Magistrates Court.
Resident Magistrate Liam McNally heard how on Saturday, 3rd June this year, Michael Lindsay from Woaghternerry severely damaged a BT public telephone with his hands. He was subsequently conveyed to Enniskillen Police Station where he told police that he had no memory of causing the damage because he was too drunk to remember. He had paid for the damage.
Defending, Michael Sides told the court that his client had admitted his guilt during police interview and that he would pay for the damage. He said that he was completely intoxicated at the time in question and lost his temper. His behaviour was very foolish and stupid.
Mr McNally said that the act was thoughtless and selfish and caused potential difficulties for anyone who might have needed to use the phone in an emergency. He imposed a £300 fine for the offence.
Man fined £150 for careless driving
A 58-year-old Ballinamallard man faces a £150 fine and has had three penalty points endorsed on his licence for careless driving.
At Fermanagh Magistrates Court, Resident Magistrate Liam McNally heard how at approximately 6.15pm on Sunday, 11th February, police were called to the scene of a road traffic collision at Dorney Bridge Crossroads, Ballinamallard. The defendant, Ivan Thomas Andrew Morrison, from Drumbulcan Road, had pulled out of a junction into the path of an oncoming car. All parties were injured and taken to hospital via ambulance.
Defending, Aisling Montague told the court that the accident had taken place at a crossroads with poor visibility where a hedge was in the driver's line of vision. The defendant lived down that particular stretch of road and was aware of the difficulty, she insisted.
It was a crossroads where you had to 'edge your nose out'. She said that the Roads Service had been informed about the problem and were aware of its dangers. She tendered a letter to the court form Roads Service indicating their on-going attempts to rectify the matter of such poor visibility.
On the evening in question, she went on, her client had edged out and stopped and edged out again and moved out, having seen nothing coming. He didn't see the oncoming vehicle.
She said that her client was a 58-year-old man who suffered serious injuries as a result of the collision and had spent some time in hospital as a result. He had a clean licence and had been driving since the age of 20, some 38 years.
Mr McNally imposed a £150 and three penalty points.
Woman caught drink driving
A 22-year-old Enniskillen woman, who was caught drink driving faces a £375 fine and a 12 month driving disqualification following a recent sitting of Fermanagh Magistrate's Court.
Resident Magistrate Liam McNally heard how at approximately 5.20pm on Wednesday, 30th May, police stopped a red Vauxhall Polo on the Cornagrade Road, Enniskillen. The defendant, Rachel Martin, from Loane Drive, was the driver. There was a strong smell of intoxicating liquor off her breath, her eyes were glazed and her speech was slurred. She failed a preliminary breath test. A lower reading showed 74 micrograms of alcohol in 100 micrograms of breath, that being 39 in excess.
Martin failed to produce her driving licence within the required seven days.
For driving with excess alcohol, Mr McNally imposed a £300 fine and a 12 month driving ban. For failing to produce a licence, he further imposed a £75 fine.
Man was driving without insurance
A 22-year-old Newtownbutler man faces a £250 fine and has had six penalty points endorsed on his licence following a recent sitting of Fermanagh Magistrates Court.
Resident Magistrate Liam McNally heard how on 5th April this year, Ciaran Smith, from Galloon Gardens, was driving a Seat Leon along Main Street, Newtownbutler. There was a young child in the front passenger seat when he attracted police attention. He was spoken to by police who discovered he had no insurance. He replied: 'I am sorry'.
Defending, Ronan McManus told the court that the defendant was on his way home from work and had collected his son when police observed and stopped him. He said he was a 22-year-old porter at Cavan General Hospital and had been driving for two years.
For the no insurance offence, Mr McNally imposed a £250 fine and six penalty points.
