Teenage driver who hit speed of 125mph on the M2 motorway told police he was tired

Adam Bustard, of Glebe Avenue in Derrykeighan near Ballymoney, was detected at a 70mph zone - the M2 motorway - on November 1 last year.

At Antrim Magistrates' Court, sitting in Ballymena, he pleaded guilty to an excess speed charge.

A prosecutor said the defendant was in a Volkswagen Golf R-Line when he overtook an unmarked police car at excessive speed on the M2 motorway around 10.55pm.

The prosecutor said once police caught up with the car they travelled for around a minute at estimated speeds "ranging from between 110mph and 125mph" based on their speedometer. When they used blue lights the defendant stopped.

The prosecutor said the defendant told police he just wanted to get home as he was tired.

A defence barrister said the defendant had no record and had no points on his licence. He handed in three references.

The defendant passed his test in March 2023 and his R plates came down in March 2024. The defendant's younger brother was in the car and they had been at a boxing event at the SSE Arena in Belfast.

The barrister said the defendant "was trying to get home as soon as possible, it was late at night" and he had not been racing nor showing off. He said 11pm would be a quieter time on the motorway.

The lawyer said the defendant is a university study and works part time in his father's takeaway shop 'Flash In The Pan'. He said through the references "you could tell remorse and regret is very evident".

The barrister said the defendant's father had given his son "the full lecture of not only the dangers to himself but also his younger brother".

The barrister added: "This young man has paid in terms of punishment to both his mother and his father and he now knows he has to pay formally in the eyes of the law".

District Judge Nigel Broderick said: "The last thing you should be doing when you are tired is driving at this speed."

He said it was "far, far, too fast" and an aggravating feature was that the defendant was a "relatively inexperienced driver".

The judge said police had reached a speed of around 120mph and although it was an estimate and not a laser speed the defendant had clearly being going far too fast.

He said he could take into account the clear record, guilty plea and "otherwise good character".

The defendant was banned from driving for two months and was fined £200.