Alan Blayney (41), of Dunlambert Park in Belfast, pleaded guilty to a charge of excess speed relating to Halloween last year. He was detected driving a Mini at 51mph in a 40mph zone on the A8 on October 31, 2022.

Calling the case at Ballymena Magistrates Court, on Thursday, District Judge Nigel Broderick said: "This gentleman needs away for work."

Blayney formerly played for Northern Ireland at international level and clubs including Southampton in the Premier League and Linfield and is now a goalkeeping coach at Irish League champions Larne. He told the court he already had three penalty points on his driving licence.

In relation to the case before the court on Thursday, a prosecutor said the defendant had been driving a Mini Countryman vehicle on October 31 on the A8 road and he was detected doing 51mph in a 40mph zone.

The prosecutor said a fixed penalty notice was offered but it had not been taken up in time. The defendant was given three penalty points, was fined £100 and has to pay a £15 'offender levy'.

At the same court in May this year, it had been heard the defendant's Mini was detected doing 90mph in a 70mph section of the A8 on August 19, 2022.

The defendant was not present at court on that occasion and convicting him of speeding and failing to produce a licence to police on the basis of the evidence before the court, Judge Broderick had issued three penalty points; fines totalling £125 and an 'offender levy' of £15.