AN Enniskillen man who crashed his car into a lamp post when drunk and later assaulted a police officer has been given a suspended sentence.
Patrick McCaffrey, 62, of Drumhack Road, Enniskillen, pleaded guilty to failing to report a damage-only accident, failing to stop at a damage-only accident, failing to remain at a damage-only accident, failure to provide a specimen of breath for a preliminary test, assaulting a police officer and driving with excess alcohol on breath.
Enniskillen Magistrates Court heard that on May 22 last year, a police vehicle was flagged down by a member of the public saying that a car had crashed into a lamp post and had driven away.
Later on, at 4.45am, another police vehicle was again flagged down by a separate member of the public saying that there was a damaged vehicle at Stuart’s Car Park on Sligo Road, Enniskillen.
A check by officers found the vehicle to be owned by the defendant. They went to the address provided by the check where the defendant refused to take a preliminary breath test.
Police found the car keys of the vehicle in the defendant’s house and while McCaffrey was being searched, he struck – with his elbow – the police officer on the back of the head.
He was arrested and a breath test taken at the police station recorded a reading of 85mg.
Defending barrister, Ciaran Roddy, told the Court that it would have been in his client’s interests to co-operate with the police but, in mitigation, he had been startled by officers when they came to his address.
District Judge Alana McSorley said that there were a number of aggravating factors and imposed a sentence of three months in prison to be suspended for one year.
An 18-month disqualification from driving was imposed but permission to drive was given pending appeal.
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