Graham Newell on left coming out of court.
A boyracer caught doing “doughnuts” with the words ‘Road markings in progress’ on his license plate has had his car confiscated by his daddy.
Graham Newell, 19, was caught by Gardai doing circles in the middle of a road in Co Donegal on June 23rd last.
Newell, a medical devices engineer, was making black marks on the road in his Sierra Cosworth car.
Letterkenny District Court was told that Newell was caught by a motorbike Gardai carrying out the manoeuvre known as “diffing.”
Inspector Michael Harrison said the incident happened on the main Kerrykeel to Milford Road during the weekend of the Donegal Rally.
Newell’s solicitor said he had a clean record and described the incident as stupid and said his client must have had a rush of blood to the head.
“The vehicle has now been taken off the road by his father to be sold,” he said.
Newell, of 33 Drumhirk Road, Comber, Co Down, is an engineer with al his licenses and works for his father in his medical devices business.
He claimed the license plate with the offending words were already o the car when he bought it.
Judge Paul Kelly said rallying takes place in Donegal every year by people who are qualified to drive in such a manner.
“It is not an invitation to emulate this type of driving on public roads,” he said.
He adjourned the case until October 14th and ordered Newell to take part in a Pro-Social Drivers Course.
If he keeps out of trouble and completes the course successfully, he will consider allowing Newell to keep his license.