A 20-year-old man from the Dunloy area has been fined a total of £1,060 after admitting to driving a car in a dangerous condition. Marc McQuilken, of Tullaghans Road, appeared at Ballymena Magistrates’ Court.
The court heard that police officers spotted McQuilken driving a Volkswagen Golf near Ballymena in April 2024. They noted that he was using a mobile phone and was not wearing a seat belt. Upon further inspection of the vehicle, police found several defects, including the front tyres, windscreen wiper and washers, lights, exhaust system, and brakes.
The vehicle test certificate for the Volkswagen Golf had expired in 2015, nine years prior to the incident. The court was also informed that the badly corroded wings of the car had “sharp edges” which were considered dangerous, and the rear axle was also significantly corroded.
District Judge Natasha Fitzsimons stated that the vehicle was “clearly not roadworthy.” McQuilken admitted to a total of 14 charges, which included using a vehicle in a dangerous condition. In addition to the fine, details of any penalty points or other consequences were not immediately available from the provided report.
Source: Northern Ireland World
