Lord Maginnis Found Guilty Of Assaulting Motorist In Road Rage Incident

Lord Maginnis Found Guilty Of Assaulting Motorist In Road Rage Incident
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File photo dated 01/02/13 of former Ulster Unionist Lord Ken Maginnis of Drumglass who has appeared in court on an assault charge, it was revealed.
PA

A House of Lords peer has been convicted of assaulting a motorist in a road rage incident in Northern Ireland.

Lord Ken Maginnis, a 75-year-old former Ulster Unionist Party MP, was found guilty at Dungannon Magistrates' Court of grabbing 21-year-old Keith Kirk by the arm and threatening to punch him in the town last summer after becoming enraged at him honking his car horn.

The peer, who admitted calling Mr Kirk a "yellow bellied bastard", had denied the charge of common assault.

But District Judge John Meehan said he was satisfied the prosecution had proved the case beyond reasonable doubt.

He fined Lord Maginnis £200 and ordered him to pay a further £200 in compensation to Mr Kirk.