Motorist ordered to pay €5,500 after being caught at 'colossal' speed in Offaly

A DEFENDANT was ordered by the Judge to pay €5,500 for a speeding-related offence during a recent Tullamore Court sitting.

Richard Ellis, 48 Roundway, Camberley, Surrey, GU15 1NU, England was charged with careless driving at  Killowney More, Cloghan.

Sergeant Brendan Kearns told the Judge that Mr Ellis was clocked driving at 159kph in a 100kph zone about two to three kilometres from Cloghan on the Cloghan to Ferbane road.

The Sergeant told the Judge that the road was “a reasonably good country road” and the weather was dry and there was some traffic on the road. The defendant had no previous convictions.

The defending solicitor Patrick Martin said his client was very cooperative with the Gardaí and was late for an important meeting on the day in question.

He added that Mr Ellis is a management consultant and does a lot of travelling.

“Your client was driving at a colossal speed,” Judge Andrew Cody told the solicitor. “God help us if he came across a child or a dog on the road.”

The Judge convicted and fined €500, adding that he wouldn't disqualify from driving. He ordered the defendant to pay €5,000 to Midlands Simon Community.