Never miss a thing from Belfast and beyond - sign up for FREE updates direct to your email inbox Subscribe Thank you for subscribing See our privacy notice Invalid Email

A judge has said he hopes to see a defendant in court "glowing with a tan" after he failed to show after going on a surprise holiday to Spain.

James Moore, 24, was due at Derry Magistrates Court to be sentenced for motoring offences.

His solicitor told how in an unusual development he received a late-night text from his client asking for sentencing to be put back three weeks as he'd gone abroad with his granny.

Judge Barney McElholm asked what was to stop Moore from dropping in his driving licence to the solicitor's office on his way to the airport.

He said: "If he gets in touch with you from Spain you tell him to go easy on the paella and cerveza because his fines are going only one way and that's up. I will expect to see him here in three weeks time glowing with a tan and with his driving licence."

The 24-year-old, from Tullymore Road in the Waterside area of the city, has admitted driving without insurance and without tax, driving while not accompanied by a qualified driver and driving without displaying L plates. He committed the offences on February 21.

Sentencing was adjourned until June 23.