When officers spoke to Lewis Lamont (19), of Doagh Road near Kells, it was noted the car was in a dangerous condition. At Ballymena Magistrates' Court, he admitted driving without due care and attention and using a vehicle in a dangerous condition. Advertisement Advertisement Did you know with an ad-lite subscription to NorthernIrelandWorld, you get 70% fewer ads while viewing the news that matters to you.
A prosecutor said around 11.30pm on December 28 last year, police saw a BMW take a right turn onto Linenhall Street "at speed" causing "the back end of the vehicle to spin out and turned the vehicle approximately 45 degrees before swinging back round and driving on forward again". The prosecutor said the driver "almost lost complete control of the vehicle".
When police stopped the defendant officers noted the vehicle had a number of "issues". The vehicle was "seized" for examination and "defects" were found "which would have placed it in a dangerous condition to drive". The court heard the defendant had no record.
Advertisement Advertisement A defence solicitor said the defendant believed the road surface was "slightly greasy as he went round the corner". The lawyer said there had been a "momentary loss of control" as the back end of the car "slipped out and he immediately regained control after that". The solicitor said the defendant had bought the car a short time before with the intention of fixing it up and he was unaware the standard of the vehicle needed immediate att.
