Two men dressed as King Kong and Santa Claus appeared in court yesterday and were convicted for speeding.
The two – Colin Jackson (28), (King Kong) with an address at Worsley, Manchester, and Ryan Scragg (27), Wilmslow, Manchester (Santa) – were charged with dangerous driving on the M1 motorway at Mooremount, Dunleer, Co Louth.
The men were taking part in a 150-car Monster Cannonball Run charity event to raise funds for a children’s hospice when they were clocked breaking a 120km speed limit.
Sgt Séamus Burke told Drogheda District Court that he was on patrol when a number of cars came through at high speed. Jackson was driving at 180km an hour in a 120km zone, he said. Scragg was also driving at high speed.
The sergeant told Judge Flann Brennan that the men wanted to apologise for appearing in fancy dress but neither had had a change of clothes since their arrest.
Jackson told the court that he was “really sorry” about his driving. Both men pleaded guilty to the speeding charge. The judge reduced the charges to careless driving and fined each of them €300, to be paid on the spot.