Diffing driver caught after Ramelton residents became 'sick and tired'

A man has appeared in court after raising the annoyance of Ramelton residents by diffing his car.

Michael Rooney was fined when convicted for careless driving when he appeared before Letterkenny District Court.

Sergeant Gerard Dalton told the court that an individual living at Moorefield in Ramelton became annoyed as he could regularly hear a car diffing at the end of a lane.

At around 11.15pm on June 20, 2023, the man heard a similar noise and went to investigate. They saw a black Lexus dong donuts at the Cup and Saucer junction before driving off.

The man followed the car and contacted gardai, who stopped Rooney at 11.45pm. The 26-year-old, from Hopefield Avenue in Belfast, was charged with dangerous driving. He tendered a guilty plea to a reduced charge of careless driving.

Solicitor for Rooney, Mr Frank Dorrian, said his client is training for his HGV licence.

“He did not regard his licence with any great endeavour in this instance,” Mr Dorrian said. “The complainant was sick and tired of people doing this at the end of the roadway. He spotted my client in his vehicle.

"There was actually no complaint about the driving on the public roadway, but the source of annoyance was understandable.”

Mr Dorrian said his client has no previous convictions.

Judge Éiteáin Cunningham convicted Rooney of careless driving and fined him €250.