Derry man caught driving to court while disqualified jailed

A man who was stopped by police driving while disqualified told them he was driving because he had to go to court.

Seamus Baldrick (46) of Altcar Park in Derry admitted a charge of charge of driving while disqualified and with no insurance on January 10 this year.

The court heard that police stopped a van driven by Baldrick as they knew he was a disqualified driver. 

He told them he was on his way to court. 

Defence counsel Gavyn Cairns said his client had begun to comply with a probation report but the had thought he would be contacted for a second appointment. 

He said Baldrick had stayed out of trouble for a long period of time. 

District Judge Barney McElholm said that this was true as the defendant had stayed out of trouble for a number of years but since 2022 had 'offended repeatedly'.

He added that probation had made numerous efforts to contact Baldrick. 

The judge said that the defendant had two suspended sentences for similar offences and the judge said it was 'ludicrous behaviour'. 

Baldrick was jailed for six months and disqualified from driving for 10 months.