A man who caused damage to another vehicle after a wheel fell off a trailer he was towing has been handed five penalty points.
The district judge commented: “I hope he has learned in future to check before heading off. This is so dangerous. We have heard of stories and with children running pavements.”
Raymond Campbell, 55, of Kilmegan Road in Castlewellan, pleaded guilty to failing to remain, failing to report, failing to stop and having a trailer in a dangerous condition on the road at Craigavon Magistrates’ Court last Friday.
Prosecution outlined that on June 12, police received a report from the injured party of a hit and run which had occurred two days earlier.
He said that on June 10, he had been driving on the Mahon Road in Portadown when a wheel came of a trailer the defendant had been towing.
This struck his Volkswagen Caddy and had caused damage to the door of the vehicle.
Campbell was later interviewed on September 22. He recalled the incident but denied being told that damage had occurred.
Defence barrister Conor Lunny stated: “This is a man who has never been before the court before. He is from Castlewellan but he had gone to Portadown to dispose of some scrap metal.
“He believed the injured party was just a good Samaritan informing him that the wheel had fallen off the trailer. They had spoken at a busy junction and Mr Campbell says all he heard was that the wheel had fallen off.”
District Judge Steven Keown commented: “I hope he has learned in future to check before heading off. This is so dangerous. We have heard of stories and with children running pavements.”
Campbell was handed five penalty points and was ordered to pay a fine of £525, along with the offender’s levy of £15, within 12 weeks.
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