Judge warns that many young male drivers 'think they are infallible'

​District Judge Nigel Broderick was speaking at Ballymena Magistrates' Court on Thursday.

An R driver admitted doing a speed of 76mph despite being restricted to a maximum of 45mph.

Ryan O'Boyle (18), of Reservoir Road at Corkey near Cloughmills, was detected on the Crankill Road dual-carriageway near Ballymena on August 18 this year.

The court was told the defendant was in a Seat Leon displaying R plates.

A defence solicitor said the defendant had been detected doing 56mph on August 6 and had been given a fixed penalty for that offence.

The defendant passed his test in January.

Judge Broderick said: "Young men for some reason disproportionately appear in my court charged with speeding and they think they are infallible.

"They think that nothing bad will ever happen".

He said the media recently reported fatal road traffic accidents when a coroner said speed was "a major contributing factor".

Judge Broderick added: "If you talk to the loved one who has lost their close relative as a result of a road traffic collision and speed is involved that would be very sobering for anyone to listen to".

The judge told the defendant he hoped it was his "last speeding offence".

He warned O'Boyle that if he is back in court for another speeding matter he will either face a lengthy ban or will have to re-sit his test.

The defendant was banned from driving for two weeks and was fined £150.