A thirty-three years old taxi driver who was caught driving with two passengers in the boot of her taxi, withdrew her appeal against her conviction for the offence.
Last October Ciara McLaughlin from Altcar Park in Derry was fined £400 and disqualified from driving for twelve months when she was convicted of dangerous driving arising out of the incident, which occurred in October 2007 as she drove mourners home from a funeral.
Two police officers who were on mobile patrol in the area around Steelstown Church at the time said they saw the crowded Vauxhall Cavalier taxi stopping along the roadside and picking up a man who got into the boot.
The police witnesses said another man was already in the boot and when the taxi drove off one of the men pulled down the boot cover.
The police followed the taxi for a short distance with their car siren on but Ms McLaughlin did not respond and she continued to the funeral house.
Because there was a large crowd of people outside the house, the police decided not to speak to Ms McLaughlin then but they questioned her about the incident, which she denied, five months later.
The dangerous driving charge was unsuccessfully contested by Ms McLaughlin at the Magistrate’s Court in Derry last October and today Judge Patrick Lynch affirmed the fine and disqualification when Ms McLaughlin withdrew her appeal.