Tyrone man who let children drive lorry near Dungannon sentenced

A man who permitted two young children to drive a lorry which he filmed and posted online has been sentenced to 240 hours community service.

The man, who is in his 40s but cannot be named to protect his children's identity, has also been banned from driving for 16 months.

The boys, one aged six and the other eight, drove the HGV on the M1 near Dungannon in September 2020.

The defendant filmed them as he sat in the passenger seat.

The man initially denied charges of child cruelty by wilful ill-treatment and neglect, exposing both boys to unnecessary suffering or injury to health.

He further denied aiding and abetting dangerous driving as well as aiding and abetting driving while disqualified by age, along with dangerous driving on his own account during the incident.

In June last year the defendant appeared in the dock of Dungannon Crown Court entering not guilty pleas to all.

However, during a review last month, a defence barrister asked for his client to be re-arraigned on three counts, which were accepted.

These involved one count each of child cruelty, dangerous driving and aiding and abetting a child to drive dangerously.

A prosecution barrister advised the guilty pleas were acceptable and the remaining matters could be left on the books.

'Extreme irresponsibility'

The court heard police took action after the video was widely shared on social media showing one boy in the driver seat steering the lorry while the younger child stood behind him in the cab.

The footage also captured the motorway and other traffic at the time.

On Thursday, Judge Brian Sherrard told the defendant: "You clearly placed these children and other road users at very considerable risk of harm.

"Your actions demonstrated extreme irresponsibility.

"You allowed these boys to drive and you filmed this, placing one of the videos online, which led to a police investigation."

It emerged the defendant received a suspended prison sentence for harassing a former partner just months before the latest offending occurred.

He also had a previous record for numerous driving matters, including disqualifications.

While Judge Sherrard felt custody was merited he added, "To imprison you would provoke actual harm to the children, when it is felt the offending did not."

Instead he ordered the defendant to carry out 240 hours community service and did not activate the existing suspended sentence, but ruled it is to be extended by a further two years.

Imposing the 16-month driving ban, the judge added: "Disqualification is inevitable bearing in mind the extreme stupidity and irresponsibility of your actions, which you repeated and posted online."