A LISBELLAW man has been refused bail following a cross-border chase, during which he drove with busted tyres and allegedly threw drugs out his car window.
Darryl Kennedy (29) of Old Mill Court, Lisbellaw, faces 13 charges in total following the chase last weekend.
These include dangerous driving, failing to stop for police, having no licence or no insurance, possession of Class A, B and C drugs, and being in the supply of Class A drugs.
A police officer told the court that at around 10am on Saturday, December 5, Police in Fermanagh were alerted to a black BMW by An Garda Siochana in Co Cavan.
The car, which was being driven by Kennedy, had failed to stop at a Garda checkpoint and had made off in the direction of Fermanagh.
Kennedy then failed to stop at a police checkpoint on the Inishmore Road, driving past it. One officer had to jump on to the grass verge to avoid being hit in what was described as “a narrow miss.” Kennedy turned on to the Lisnagole Road.
Police activated their sirens and pursued the car. At the junction with the Gola Road the officers deployed their stinger device across the road in a bid to stop the defendant. Kennedy drove over the stinger, bursting two or three tyres, and continued driving towards Lisnaskea.
Police then used another stinger, after which all the tyres of the car were deflated. Kennedy continued driving, including through Maguiresbridge Main Street, where the officer said the chase was “relatively low speed.”
At this point police said Kennedy threw a package from the car window, which they later recovered.
The police officer said Kennedy was losing control of the car, crossing the central white line, and a red car had been forced to take action to avoid a collision. The officer said a cyclist also passed at one point.
Kennedy was eventually brought to a controlled by police stop outside Lisbellaw. While being taken to the police station after being arrested the defendant told police “I only wanted to get rid of the package.”
After he was arrested Kennedy’s property was searched suspected controlled substances were found.
More suspected drugs were found in the police station toilet, a small container containing white powder and a herbal substance that was covered in faeces. Police believe Kennedy had ingested the container.
Police objected to Kennedy being released on bail over concerns he would reoffend. The officer told the court that given the substantial amount of suspected drugs seized from him, Kennedy could be in debt to the owners of the drugs money which could lead him to offend further to “make up his losses.”
The officer said Kennedy had shown “complete disregard for the Police and Garda” and also expressed concerned he was a flight risk.
District Judge Steven Keown refused bail on the grounds Kennedy may reoffend or may not return to court.
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