An 83-year-old man who fell unconscious at the wheel as he was driving to a funeral has been fined £75 and received three penalty points.

Kevin McAuley from Scaffog Avenue admitted that he was the holder of a provisional licence but had no supervising driver in the car when he crashed on October 15. He also admitted not displaying L plates.

Fermanagh Magistrates Court heard that on October 15 at 1pm, police were tasked to a single vehicle road traffic collision at Swanlinbar Road, Enniskillen. They found a vehicle on its side down a five foot embankment. They spoke to the driver in the South West Acute Hospital.

In a later notebook interview the pensioner admitted the charges against him and said: “I remember coming down the road. I saw an old friend’s house from the past and I started to feel unwell. I tried to pull over onto the grass verge.”

He said he became unconscious at the wheel and doesn’t remember how the car ended up on its side on the other side of the road. 

District Judge Amanda Brady said she would take into account the man’s age and the fact he is in receipt of state pension. She charged him a total of £75 and gave him three penalty points.