Jail for Dungannon man who '˜drew his girlfriend into the crime circle'

Jamie Reynolds, 27, from Cranebook Terrace, appeared at Dungannon Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday.

The court heard how police stopped a car in which he was a passenger on the Coash Road on February 2.

At the time, he admitted the offence, but later did not attend probation because he claimed to have forgotten about the appointment.

The court heard how Reynolds had already served two prison sentences for driving without insurance.

His defence solicitor told the court that the driver of the car was Reynold’s fiancée, and he now wished to settle down with her. The defendant was currently unemployed but had an offer of work from a local farmer.

When it emerged that Reynolds had never worked before, Judge John Meehan remarked that the defendant had quite a range of motoring offences for someone who never had any resources.

The judge said that Reynold’s criminal intent was ‘glaringly obvious’.

Referring to his previous convictions for driving without insurance, the judge accused Reynolds of drawing his ‘girlfriend into the crime circle’. The solicitor explained that Reynolds was fearful of going back into custody, and wanted to stabilise his life. He asked for a deferment of sentence to put him to the test. However, the judge told Reynolds that he could no longer bluff or cheat around the law.