PSNI chased man through Lurgan as he took corners at speed in an electric BYD Seal, Craigavon court hears
A Lurgan man, who took his friends out for a drive in his new Chinese electric car after a couple of glasses of wine, was spotted driving at speed through a built-up area in the town.
Anthony Henley, aged 47, from Hunter’s Lodge, pleaded guilty to two charges before Craigavon Magistrates Court on Wednesday including dangerous driving and driving with excess alcohol.
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It was March 22 this year, at around 2.05am, when police, on mobile patrol in the Mourneview area, spotted a vehicle speeding on the Mourne Road heading towards Russell Drive.
With lights and sirens activated, a police officer, driving at 60mph, tried to catch up with the vehicle. Despite this the suspect vehicle still appeared to be "gaining and pulling away”.
A Prosecutor said this was "an entirely built-up residential area”. While in pursuit, police observed the vehicle “all over the road, cutting across the centre white line and taking corners at what appeared to be an unsafe speed”.
Police caught up with the vehicle, a BYD Seal, in Sloan Street, and spoke to the driver, the defendant.
A preliminary breath test on Henley gave a result of 66 micrograms of alcohol while an evidential breath sample gave a result of 58. In Northern Ireland, the breath test limit for driving is 35 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath.
Henley’s lawyer said his client has been driving for 30 years with no previous convictions of a motoring nature.
He explained that his client works for Lidl as a store manager, engaging with career development within the firm.
“He is working his way up through the ranks,” he said, adding that Henley is required to attend training and courses at Nutts Corner and outside Dublin.
"The loss of his licence will have work implications for him,” said the lawyer, adding Henley regularly attends hospital appointments in Belfast “in relation to a previous diagnosis of cancer”.
The lawyer said while there were “points of concern” regarding Henley’s driving, there were no references to other vehicles or pedestrians put at risk.
The lawyer said his client was at home. “He had purchased a new vehicle. It is sort of the Chinese version of a Tesla. They are quite interesting cars and quite novel in this jurisdiction. Friends had arrived at his house and he hadn’t intended leaving the house that night.
"He had a couple of glasses of wine and the conversation turned to the vehicle and what was an electric vehicle like. He decided to take friends for a spin – a relatively short spin. The offences were detected perhaps a mile from his home,” said the lawyer.
For driving with excess alcohol, Henley was disqualified from driving for 16 months, but if he pays for and takes the course he could have it reduced to 12 months.
For dangerous driving he was given a 12 months ban and ordered to take the extended test. He was also fined £200 for each offence plus the Offender Levy of £15.