Riding a powerful Suzuki motorbike without proper insurance has led to an appearance before Fermanagh Magistrates Court for an unemployed digger-driver from Derrylin.
On 23rd September last year, the Court heard, police on duty along the Belturbet Road, Derrylin stopped James Michael Kiernan (28) from Killynick Road, Killycloghan, Derrylin riding a Suzuki GSXR 750 motorcycle. The defendant was carrying his 15- year old brother as a pillion passenger at the time he was stopped.
Evidence was given that the defendant only had a learner licence for the motorbike, that he had no insurance for this size of bike and that he had a defective registration plate displayed on the bike.
The defendant told police he had been insured with Quinn Direct but that his policy had been cancelled as he had missed two payments.
Defending, Vincent Maguire explained that the motorbike in question had been off the road for some time and it had just been fixed up and got ready for the road again. His client had only used the bike on this one occasion when he went to pick up his brother.
He said Kiernan had applied to sit the bike test and, as such, he could now ride a 125cc motorbike. "This bike is a 750cc', he added, " but the defendant intends to put a restrictor on it meaning he'll be allowed to ride it legally."
Regarding the number plate lettering, Mr Maguire said his client was unaware of the size requirements, but he submitted his client had co-operated fully with police.
Sentencing, District Judge John Meehan fined the defendant £250 and disqualified him from driving for six months for riding without insurance. For no licence, the defendant was fined £90 while for carrying an unauthorised passenger and having a defective number plate, fines of £60 on each charge were imposed.
Source:http://www.nwipp-newspapers.com
