Co Tyrone plumber who broke his arm in Coalisland crash loses licence for 18 months

Glenn Aaron Booth, aged 44, from Bankfield Drive, Coagh, was fined a total of £800 with a £15 offender’s levy for driving while unfit through drink, driving without due care and attention, having no insurance, failing to remain at the scene of a damage only accident, and failing to report the accident at Brackaville Road, Coalisland, on January 16 last.

Booth was further fined a total of £450 and disqualified on two charges of having no insurance arising out of incidents in September 5 and 8 last year.

Dungannon Magistrates Court heard on Wednesday that at 1.15am police received a report of a single vehicle collision at Brackaville Road and were told the driver had made off on foot in the direction of Newmills.

Prosecuting counsel said police found the vehicle overturned and observed damage to a boundary wall and trees.

He said police identified the owner of the van through its registration and at 2.30am apprehended Booth walking approximately three and a half miles from the scene.

The lawyer said police noticed a smell of intoxicating liquor and he told them he had a glass of vodka before leaving the house.

Counsel said the defendant had received a number of blows to his head in the collision and was taken to Craigavon Area Hospital.

A urine specimen was obtained showing a reading of 59mg per 100 millilitres of urine.The legal limit is 107 milligrams.

The lawyer said a forensic countback indicated he would have been over the limit, as CCTV obtained showed the collision had happened at 1.09am and the specimen was not provided until 4.35am. He was street bailed at 5am and on March 4 he gave a ‘no comment’ interview.

A defence lawyer said the defendant had been going through a break up of a relationship at the time.

He had one glass of vodka before leaving his house and the countback was 134mg, and he should not have been driving on this night.

The lawyer explained the defendant believed his insurance was on “auto renewal”, and he should have paid more attention to it.