Driving ban for Irish League football star caught doing almost 100mph

At Ballymena Magistrates Court on Thursday a defence barrister entered a guilty plea on behalf of Coleraine FC striker Matthew Shevlin to exceeding a 70mph speed limit.

A prosecutor said the 22-year-old from Meadowvale in Ballymena was detected doing 96mph on the Crankill Road dual-carriageway near Ballymena at 2.50pm on December 29 last year.

The defence barrister, appearing via video link, handed in a “number of references” on behalf of the defendant who was not present at court.

The court heard that whilst the defendant had a previously clear court record there were already nine penalty points on his driving licence.

The defence barrister said his client had recently graduated from university and his licence was crucial in connection with a job offer as a site engineer on different sites in Northern Ireland.

The lawyer added: “He also travels to Coleraine from Ballymena to play football for quite a well-known football club in the area. His licence is important on two fronts”.

He asked the court to consider a “short disqualification” for the “hard working young man who is hoping to go into full-time employment in the near future”.

Deputy District Judge Noel Dunlop said it was a “high speed” but there was a previously clear court record and a guilty plea.

He banned the defendant from driving for two weeks along with a £250 fine.