Tyrone motorist fined £200 after hitting telegraph pole and ending up in field
A car ended up in a field after hitting a telegraph pole rounding a bend in Co Tyrone, Dungannon Magistrates Court was told on Friday.
Wilma Little (48) from Garvagh Road, Dungannon, was fined £200 with a £15 offender's levy and handed five penalty points for careless driving.
The court was told at approximately 2.55pm on February 25 last police on mobile patrol received a report of a one-vehicle accident at Pomeroy Road, Cookstown, and on arrival found a vehicle in a field. Prosecuting counsel said there the telegraph pole was beneath the car which had considerable damage to its front off-side. He said the there was debris on the road and some damage to a fence.
The lawyer added that the driver was not at the scene but police called at the address of the last registered own and spoke to the defendant.
Counsel said Little provided a breath specimen which was negative. She told police that she was coming round a bend in the road at between 40-50mph and braked but the car kept going and crashed.
He said the defendant said she had “panicked” and a passing car left her home.
A defence lawyer, who handed into court two medical reports relating to the defendant’s mental health, stressed she had fully cooperated with police and made a full admission.
He said she lived in a remote rural area and required her licence to get to medical appointments. The lawyer pleaded with the court not to impose a disqualification.
Deputy District Judge Sean O’Hare said he would not disqualify on this occasion given the contents of the medical reports.