Northern Ireland

100mph speeder: Minister writes to chief justice over judge’s ‘reason for rushing’ remarks at sentencing hearing

Infrastructure Minister John O’Dowd revealed he wrote the letter on the same day detailed road casualty figures were published

John O’Dowd MLA and Minister for Infrastructure updated MLAs following concerns about drinking water
infrastructure Minister John O'Dowd (Oliver McVeigh/PA)
By John Breslin

Infrastructure Minister John O’Dowd has written to the Lady Chief Justice Siobhan Keegan on comments made by a judge who said a motorist who drove at an 100mph had a “reason for rushing”.

Mr O’Dowd made the letter public on the day figures were published revealing in detail just how deadly and dangerous it was on the roads in 2023.

A total of 71 died and 880 were seriously injured in road crashes last year, the worst numbers in almost a decade. While the number of seriously injured dropped slightly, there was a 22% increase in deaths

The numbers are far higher than the baseline targets contained in the recently published Road Safety Strategy to 2030.

The minister linked the numbers to the appearance before District Judge Peter Magill in Dungannon Magistrates Court of Tadeusz Moron (55) of Lisnagowan Road, Dungannon.

The Right Honourable Dame Siobhan Keegan, Lady Chief Justice of Northern Ireland
Lady Chief Justice Siobhan Keegan (Liam McBurney/PA)

Judge Magill said Moron, caught driving at 100mph in a 60mph zone, had a “reason for rushing”, that he was preoccupied and that the speeding was not intentional. He was heading to the airport to pick up his mother. He avoided disqualification.

Mr O’Dowd said: “While I am not privy to all of the details of any case taken before the courts, I believe it is incumbent upon all of us to send out a strong message when it comes to speeding and other road user behaviours which endanger lives.

“Put quite simply, speeding can and does kill. There can never be a reason or excuse for driving at 100mph in a 60mph zone. We need to get real and have honest conversations with ourselves and with others about how we behave on the roads.”

The SDLP’s Mark H Durkan questioned the minister revealing to the public he sent the letter as it emerged more than £3m raised in fines and fees was sent unspent to London and on the same day as the rising number of casualties on the road casualties and as it emerged more than

Infrastructure Minister John O’Dowd at the official launch of the Road Safety Strategy for Northern Ireland to 2030 at Crescent Fire Station, Derry. Included from left, are Michael Bloomfield, chief executive, Northern Ireland Ambulance Service, Aidan Jennings, Chief Fire and Rescue Officer, and PSNI Superintendent Jonathan Wilson, Head of Public Order Public Safety Branch.
Infrastructure Minister O’Dowd at the official launch of the Road Safety Strategy for Northern Ireland to 2030 at Crescent Fire Station, Derry, with Michael Bloomfield, chief executive, Northern Ireland Ambulance Service, Aidan Jennings, Chief Fire and Rescue Officer, and PSNI Superintendent Jonathan Wilson, Head of Public Order Public Safety Branch. (Lorcan Doherty)

Mr Durkan said: “I can understand the minister contacting the chief justice given the circumstances in this case and that there can be no excuse for driving at such a speed, but one would question why he immediately felt the need to alert the media to this letter.”

The minister described the number of deaths last year as “shocking”.

“Behind the figures are loved ones who set off on an everyday journey but, they are never coming home to their family and friends. From the moment that happens, lives are shattered and will never be the same again,” Mr O’Dowd said.

A spokesperson for the Department for Infrastructure said: “The minister takes every opportunity he can to reinforce important road safety messages.”

The number of people who have died on the roads this year is 43.