Other News In Brief

Appeal Over Missing Family

Police have issued an appeal after a family of eight from County Down has not seen since Wednesday.

John Kelly, Melissa Teague and their six children were last seen in the Ballymartin area, where they lived. The family is originally from County Longford.

Anyone with any information can contact police in Banbridge on the 101 number.

Co Down Driver Fined Over Speedometer Offences

A County Down Commercial Goods Vehicle Operator has been fined a total of £1,000 at Omagh Magistrates' Court for speedometer (tachograph) offences.

The charges came after Mr Ivan Kirk, of Mullafernaghan Road, Dromore, was stopped on 27 May 2014 by DVA officers as part of a goods vehicle operation. Four tachograph offences were detected.

He received a £1,000 fine on one offence of failing to take a 45-minute break after four hours thirty minutes driving. He also received a conditional discharge for one year on three other counts of the same offence. Mr Kirk was also ordered to pay an offender levy of £15 and court costs of £19.

Man Convicted Of £17k Benefit Fraud

A man has been convicted at Ballymena Magistrates’ Court for claiming over £17,000 in benefits he was not entitled to.

32-year-old Simon Vaughan of Carolhill Park, Ballymena claimed Jobseekers Allowance and Housing Benefit totalling £17,821 while failing to declare capital. He was given a three year probation order, a conditional discharge and ordered to pay court costs of £49.

Tyrone Farmer Fined Over Pollution

A farmer from County Tyrone farmer has been found guilty and fined £750, plus £28 court costs, at Strabane Magistrates’ Court.

Charles Irwin, of Magheracreggan Road, Castlederg, Co Tyrone, was fined for making a polluting discharge to a waterway.

The charge followed an inspection by Water Quality Inspectors at a waterway at Magheracreggan Road, Castlederg which was observed to be polluted with a substantial growth of sewage fungus. The polluting discharge was traced to farm premises owned by Mr Irwin. The length of waterway impacted by the discharge was approximately 240 metres.

(IT/CD)