Claimed she was holding nappy to her ear

Deborah McNally, whose address was given as Clendinning Way, Portadown, was also fined £175 and ordered to pay a £15 offender’s levy.

The case was due to be contested at last Wednesday’s court but on the day the defendant decided to plead guilty.

The court heard that a police patrol coming out of the Mahon Road station saw the defendant holding a phone to her right ear while she was driving.

When she was stopped she claimed she was holding a nappy to her ear because of an ear infection.

She was verbally abusive to police and refused to accept a fixed penalty notice.

A barrister representing McNally said she was a little agitated and did become rather aggressive with police.

He added that this is the first time she has been charged with this type of offence and she had three points on her licence.

Imposing the ban District Judge, Mr Mervyn Bates, told McNally she had the opportunity to plead guilty at several stages, when she was offered the fixed penalty and at court but this was adjourned for a contest.

He added that if she had pleaded guilty at the outset there would have been no disqualification but if she had gone ahead with the contest and was convicted the ban would have been three times the period she had received.