Castledawson teenage motorist reported ramming other vehicles on Glenshane Road near Maghera, court hears
A young motorist with Class A and B drugs in his blood had to be tactically stopped by police on the busy Glenshane Road, near Maghera, as he was reportedly ramming other cars and performing handbrake turns, Magherafelt Magistrates Court was told.
Disqualifying the teenager for 18 months, District Judge Conor Heaney said no one listening to the facts could be anything but shocked, and it was “a very troubling incident” with no explanation for it.
Before the court was 19-year-old Tony Diamond, of Deerpark Road, Castledawson, who was ordered to carry out 180 hours of Community Service for dangerous driving, failing to stop for police, and driving when unfit through drink or drugs on November 18 last year.
Diamond was also fined £100 for possessing cannabis and £75 with a £15 offender’s levy for failing to display ‘R’ plates on the same date.
Prosecuting counsel said at approximately 10.18pm police received a report of a van ramming other vehicles on Glenshane Road, driving on the hard shoulder, making handbrake turns in the road, and crossing the lane toward oncoming vehicles.
She said on arrival, police activated lights and sirens to get the vehicle to stop but it continued in the wrong lane towards Magherafelt. Counsel said the defendant’s vehicle made contact with the police vehicle to try and push it off the road.
The lawyer said police performed a tactical stop on the vehicle to bring it to a safe stop, and Diamond got out and made off on foot.
She said he provided a evidential breath specimen which showed an alcohol reading of 39 mcgs per 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35 mcgs.
The prosecutor said police also found a grinder and a small quantity of cannabis in the defendant’s vehicle.
She said that a blood specimen showed traces of Class A and B drugs in his system.
CCTV footage from a local garage showed the collision with the police vehicle, she added stressing Diamond made no comment and remained silent.
A defence lawyer described the incident as “absolutely outrageous” and the defendant is very fortunate not to be facing more serious charges.
She handed into court two character references, and pointed out that Probation considered him “a low likelihood of reoffending”.