Dungannon district judge dismisses Cookstown motorist's 'ridiculous excuse' for list of offences including dangerous driving
A 45-year-old Co Tyrone motorist said by the district judge to have made a "ridicuous excuse" for his behaviour, has lost his licence for three years.
Gary Gordon from Tullywiggan Cottages, Cookstown, was also given a one-month suspended jail sentence and fined a total of £1,300 and ordered to pay a £15 offender's levy.
Gordon was convicted of charges including failing to provide a preliminary breath specimen, dangerous driving, failing to stop, failing to remain, disorderly behaviour, resisting police, criminal damage of police vehicles, and failing to provide a specimen while driving unfit at Drapersfield and Dungannon Road, Cookstown, on October 15 last year.
He was also convicted of failing to provide a specimen while driving with excess alcohol and driving with excess alcohol at Ardcumber Road, Cookstown, on July 20 this year.
Dungannon Magistrates Court was told that on October 15, police received two separate reports of a car being struck by a silver VW Passat driven by Gordon which then drove off.
Prosecuting counsel said police later received a report of road traffic collision at filling pumps on Dungannon Road in which damage was caused to garden furniture.
The lawyer said Gordon again made off and was later located sitting in the vehicle bleeding from a head wound.
She said he was smelling of intoxicating liquor and was unsteady on his feet. He refused to provide a preliminary breath test.
Counsel said Gordon then began shouting and swearing at police officers and he had to be assisted to the police vehicle.
She said when he was handcuffed, Gordon hit the back of the police car window, but no damage was caused.
The lawyer said he urinated on the seat of the vehicle and a cell van had to be called to convey him to hospital.
She added when Gordon placed in the cell van he urinated again. At the hospital, he refused to provide a specimen of breath.
Continuing, the lawyer said police were on mobile patrol on July 20 last at 11.50am when they stopped the defendant's car at Ardcumber Road.
She said when police spoke to him they smelled intoxicating liqour and observed three bottles of wine in the footwell of the vehicle.
Counsel said Gordon failed to provide a specimen for a preliminary enquiry.
A defence lawyer said the defendant’s “downfall” was his over consumption of alcohol and reliance on it.
He stressed that Gordon had sought help for his addiction and had also been diagnosed with autism and Aspergers at the age of 36.
The lawyer asked the court to defer sentencing to allow him time to further engage with various agencies.
"He clearly does have an issue with alcohol that leads him to getting behind the wheel,” he continued. “He is sorry about all this.”
Imposing the penalties, Distict Judge Francis Rafferty told Gordon it was a ridiculous excuse and that he had used his diagnosis to hide behind to commit criminality.
The judge allowed the defendant 26 weeks to pay the fines.