Derry judge hits out at insurance companies

A judge has said that it 'should be illegal' for insurance companies to cancel policies after a single missed payment and that the system was 'loaded' in favour of the insurance companies. 

District Judge Barney McElhom made the statement as a man appeared before him charged with driving while intoxicated and without insurance.

Niall Whelan (33) of Summer Meadows Park in Derry, appeared charged with the offences that occurred on the morning of January 1 this year.

Police were called to an incident where a car had crashed into a roundabout in Kilfennan. When they spoke to the driver he admitted to being drunk and police could smell alcohol on his breath. 

He also failed a breath test at the scene and later again at the police station.

Defence solicitor Seamus Quigley said that Whelan was 'drowning in dept' but 'takes his responsibility to the court very seriously'.

He said that he was out with friends on New Year's Eve and had parked in Ebrington Square and after the night out made the 'foolish decision' to drive.

He also added that Whelan would usually 'never even drive after a half a shandy' and said that the only reason he had no insurance was because he had missed a single direct debit the previous month.

Whelan was disqualified for 12 months and received a fine of £450.