Took mother's car and gave false name

Francis Duffy, Woodside Green, Portadown, at a previous sitting of Craigavon Magistrates Court, had admitted a series of motoring offences.

The case had been adjourned so that a pre-sentence report could be obtained.

At last Wednesday’s court Duffy was given 200 hours community service and banned for six months for taking a vehicle without the consent of the owner on June 13 last year.

A concurrent community service term of 100 hours was imposed for obstructing a constable.

Duffy was also fined £300 and banned from driving for nine months for not having insurance.

He was fined £50 for not displaying ‘L’ plates and £100 for driving without a supervisor.

Concurrent six months bans were put in place for these offences.

The court heard that at 3.20am at Bachelor’s Walk in Portadown police saw the defendant sitting in the driver’s seat of a parked car.

There was a young female in the front passenger seat.

He said he did not have his licence or any identification on him and gave police a false name.

Police checks revealed that the vehicle belonged to Duffy’s mother and she said he had taken it without her permission when she was sleeping.

When interviewed the defendant said he had ‘panicked and was stupid’ and apologised for lying to the police.

Mr Conor Downey, representing the defendant, said that when he was questioned Duffy made a clean breast of things and his mother was completely unaware he had taken the vehicle.

This was his first time before the court for a motoring matter, added Mr Downey, but he had a suspended sentence at the Crown Court.

Deputy District Judge Brian Archer said that was for an entirely different matter and he would not be referring this to the Crown Court.

But he warned Duffy he was developing a serious record and if he went back to the Crown Court he would be facing an immediate custodial sentence.