A man who police observed travelling at speeds between 95 and 100mph has been handed six penalty points.
The 40-year-old’s solicitor told court: “He was driving in traffic, he viewed that a vehicle in front was holding him up and in the midst of the overtaking manoeuvre his speed crept up to the upper echelons.”
Marcin Arcisz, of Glen Macha in Armagh, had pleas of guilty entered on his behalf to excess speed and no driving licence at the city’s Magistrates’ Court, sitting at Newry, on Tuesday.
A charge of failing to produce a licence was withdrawn after defence solicitor Oisin Toner informed court that at the time of the offence his client’s licence had expired.
Prosecution outlined that on June 5, police on patrol of the Moy Road, Armagh, were overtaken by an Audi A6 which was travelling at speed.
Officers followed the car judging it at times to be travelling at speeds between 95 and 100mph.
Police later spoke to the driver, who was identified as this defendant, and he opted for a fixed penalty, however, police checks later showed that he had failed to surrender his licence.
Mr Toner submitted to the court that Arcisz was a Polish national who had lived in Northern Ireland for 15 years and that he had “never been in trouble before”.
He added: “He was driving in traffic, he viewed that a vehicle in front was holding him up and in the midst of the overtaking manoeuvre his speed crept up to the upper echelons.”
Deputy District Judge Philip Mateer commented that he was surprised that police had been willing to offer a fixed penalty such was the excursiveness of the speed.
Mr Toner stated: “He does not feel that he was ever quite travelling at the speed which they are saying he was doing, which is supported in part by the offering of a fixed penalty.
“I would ask your worship to take into account his previous impeccable record and the fact he would have been able to deal with this by way of a fixed penalty but for the issue of his licence, which he has since rectified.”
Arcisz was handed six penalty points and was ordered to pay a fine of £225, along with the offender’s levy of £15, within 26 weeks.
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