A YOUNG driver taking part in last weekend’s West Cork Rally ended up being fined and eliminated from the event after gardaí charged him with a road traffic offence, a court heard.

Kallum Graffin (18) of 59A Loughbeg Road, Toonbridge, County Antrim, appeared at Bandon District Court on Monday having been charged with dangerous driving on Saturday March 14th.

He pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of careless driving which was accepted by the prosecution.

Sgt Eimear O’Connell told the court that at 11.47am Gda Kieran O’Callaghan was on a checkpoint on the N71 at Scartagh, Clonakilty.

‘There was a line of traffic heading into Clonakilty and it was quite busy. Gda O’Callaghan observed the accused’s Ford rally car overtake another car in the line of traffic,’ said Sgt O’Connell.

‘Gda O’Callaghan activated the patrol lights and drove after him and observed him swerving from left to right down the hill  and (he) continued to drive in that manner into Clonakilty.’

The accused was arrested at 12.05pm. The court heard he has no previous convictions.

Defence solicitor Plunkett Taaffe said his client was competing in last weekend’s West Cork Rally.

‘There had been a service halt where the cars are serviced and the tyres are checked. He was heading to the next stage of the rally on the public road. He was under time pressure and the car in front of him was driving slower and he overtook it,’ said Mr Taaffe.

‘After the service halt the cars swerve left to right to heat up the tyres and he was withing his own carriageway while performing this and it’s not an uncommon occurrence.’

Mr Taaffe added that his client is a promising driver and he was second in his own class at the time of the rally. He said that as a result of the garda investigation Mr Graffin was subject to a steward’s inquiry.

‘He was fined €1,500 and eliminated from the race. He apologises to the court and he and his parents have suffered financially as a consequence of this incident.’

Mr Graffin told Judge Joanne Carroll that he has learnt from this while she said it was an expensive lesson for him.

‘If you’re the Rosemary Smith of Irish driving them people look up to you,’ said Judge Carroll, who said she would give him a chance and struck out the charge.