Man who lives in Carndonagh fined for driving a vehicle deemed as an 'abomination'

A man has appeared at Derry Magistrates Court charged with careless driving and driving a vehicle that was deemed by a judge as an 'abomination'.

Maksyn Poltorak (25) of Ardcolgan in Carndonagh in Donegal was charged on February 12 after police saw a car with multi-coloured bodywork and an 'exceptionally loud' exhaust travelling at less than 20 miles per hour on the Strand Road in Derry. 

Police stopped the car due to concerns about it's roadworthiness due to number of modifications that had been made, including a front bumper held on with cable ties and tyres with modified suspension that were making contact with the bodywork.

Police also found erosion of the wheel arch, a hydraulic brake, a modified steering wheel, increasing the turning circle from the standard fifty percent to seventy-five percent, and a modified transmission for a shorter clutch.

Police say that these would have resulted in the vehicle failing the MOT.

The vehicle was seized and a report said it wasn't fit even to be towed and would have to be loaded on a lorry or the like.

Poltorak has no previous conviction and pleaded guilty to the charges.

Defence solicitor Paddy MacDermott said that it was 'amazing' that the vehicle made it from Carndonagh to Derry, telling the court that Poltorak is originally from Ukraine and has an interest in cars.

He said that the car was 'a valuable piece of equipment'.

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District Judge Barney McElhom described the car as an 'abomination', condemning the 'hooligans' that use such vehicles to fly down the road and adding that 'people who butcher cars deserve no consideration at all' from the court.

Poltorak was ordered to pay a fine of £900 and his licence was suspended for two months.

The judge also ordered the PSNI to liaise with the Gardai to ensure that the vehicle is not driven on the open road without being repaired.