Motorist taking children to see Santa had driven wrong way at motorway slip road

The case was heard at Antrim Magistrates Court, sitting in Ballymena. Picture by: Arthur Allison/Pacemaker Press.

Patrick McGonigle (53), of Vale Road, Greysteel, committed an offence around 5.50pm on December 10 last year at the M2 near Antrim town.

He was originally charged with dangerous driving but prosecutors accepted a guilty plea to a charge of careless driving.

Antrim Magistrates Court, sitting in Ballymena, was told police noticed a vehicle doing a 180 degree turn, when visibility was “limited,” on a slip road to “face the wrong way before almost immediately correcting itself”.

The defendant apologised to police for a “bad decision”. A defence barrister said the defendant’s wife had a “satnav” in her hand.

The lawyer said the defendant was unfamiliar with the area and there was snow and signposts could not be seen.

The court heard the defendant’s wife said they were on a “one way” and “as soon as he realised he turned the car to correct himself”.

The defendant was given five penalty points and fined £200.