The defendant was said to be suicidal
A Ballinamallard man who drove through a police checkpoint nearly knocking a number of officers down was suicidal, Enniskillen Magistrates Court has heard.
Lee Williams (20) with an address at Whitehill Cross, Ballinamallard was sentenced to a total of eight months in jail when he admitted a litany of motoring related charges including dangerous driving and three counts of driving while disqualified.
The court heard that just before midnight on January 28 this year police were conducting a vehicle checkpoint at Boa Island Road, Belleek when a black Vauxhall Vectra car approached.
Police wearing hi-vis vests signalled for the car to stop but it continued, passing the officer at speed and clipping him from behind as it went through the checkpoint.
The car, driven by the defendant, couldn’t get away as a Ford Transit van was blocking both lanes of the carriageway so it reversed at speed forcing a number of police officers to jump out of the way, reversing around a blind corner.
When police went after the car they found it abandoned and the driver had fled.
Seven months later, on July 17, at around 5pm, an off-duty officer reported seeing a Hyundai Coupe being driven by the defendant – who he knew was a disqualified driver.
The officer had a clear view of the driver for about two seconds before losing sight of him, and he said was sure it was him as he knows him for about ten years.
Some time later the same day the defendant was seen this time driving a Volkswagen Passat. Two days later he was spoken to. He denied driving the car.
He said the vehicle had been sold a few days prior but wouldn’t say who he sold it to.
Barrister Heather Phillips, defending, said the tragic death of this man’s sister had clearly affected him badly.
On the day he drove through the Boa Island checkpoint Ms Phillips said the defendant was on the way to take his own life. She described the defendant as a young man with special needs and his own difficulties. She said that cars were the one thing this defendant could relate to.
District Judge Nigel Broderick said among the aggravating factors in this case was that the defendant was given an opportunity in April that if he didn’t reoffend for six months he wouldn’t go to jail.
“You breached that by offending on three separate occasions.”
The judge noted the tragic circumstances with regard to this defendant’s family but also told him he had undermined the authority of the court by continuing to offend.
For the offences of July 20 a sentence of three months in jail and two year driving disqualification were imposed for driving with no insurance and driving while disqualified.
The same sentence was imposed for the offences of July 17 and for the offences of August 12.
A deferred sentence for driving while disqualified while disqualified, dangerous driving and driving without insurance of five months in prison on each count was imposed to run consecutive to the other sentences resulting in eight months in jail.
Following an application bail of £500 was granted for the defendant to appeal the sentence.
To read more.. Subscribe to current edition
Receive quality journalism wherever you are, on any device. Keep up to date from the comfort of your own home with a digital subscription.
Any time | Any place | Anywhere