CHARGES AGAINST MOTORIST

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27279, 20 February 1954, Page 8

CHARGES AGAINST MOTORIST

FINES TOTALLING £l3 IMPOSED

Fines totalling £l3 were imposed on James Patrick Rodgers, aged 67, by Mr Rex C. Abernethy, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday when the defendant faced three charges, a sequel to a collision between his car and a cyclist near Belfast on November 21. Rodgers pleaded guilty to failing to report an accident (£4), failing to render assistance (£6), and driving a car negligently (£3). “If the defendant had not paid for the damage I would be inclined to fine him more,” said the Magistrate. “There was no excuse for what he did. The proper thing to do is to stop and render assistance.”

Sub-Inspector J. C. Fletcher said that the defendant struck the back of a schoolboy’s cycle. The youth was knocked to the ground. Rodgers stopped about four chains past the scene of the accident, but in spite of signs from an onlooker, refused to come back and drove on. The onlooker followed the defendant to his home. There, with the help of the defendant’s sons, the onlooker attempted to persuade Rodgers to return, but he would not.

When later interviewed by the police, the defendant said he thought the cyclist was not injured, for he saw him rise to his feet. He had been to a trotting meeting, and he said he had had several drinks.