'One of most appalling driving records I have ever seen' - Man with 267 convictions receives suspended sentence and is banned for two years

A Derry judge has said told a 36-year-old man appearing before him that ‘one of the most appalling driving records I have ever seen’.

Derek McCordick was stopped on June 20 on the Victoria Road in Derry and found to have no insurance and having taken a vehicle without permission.

Derry Magistrates Court was told that police were conducting an operation designed to clamp down on unlicensed drivers at the time.

They stopped McCordick who told them he had borrowed the car.

Subsequent checks revealed there was no insurance for the vehicle.

The defendant presented the paper part of a licence to the court, but District Judge Barney McElholm said he did not believe that it was his current licence. McCordick argued that that was the licence he had been given.

However, Judge District Judge McElholm said the defendant had 267 previous convictions with almost 200 of them for driving related offences.

“It is one of the most appalling driving records I have ever seen,” the judge added.

Judge McElholm added that he believed the defendant was ‘concealing’ his up to date licence from the court.

He then sentenced McCordick, of Killygullan Drive in Lisnaskea, to four months in prison suspended for two years and disqualifying him for two years.