Convicted sex offender sped off from police in Antrim and hit speed of '120mph'
A convicted sex offender sped off from police and hit an estimated speed of 120mph causing officers to halt a pursuit due to the risk to the public.
The driver, Thomas Macauley (25) , formerly of Ballymena and now with an address listed in Belfast, appeared at Antrim Magistrates Court, sitting in Ballymena, on Tuesday.
He was on video link from prison for sentencing on charges of dangerous driving; failing to stop for police; driving whilst disqualified; and absence of insurance for an Audi S3 on January 18.
At 12.15am a police patrol saw the Audi at Belmont Road, Antrim. Police turned and followed onto Oldstone Road and a "second vehicle moved in to intercept".
The Audi was briefly brought to a stop at a roundabout. Both vehicles had activated blue lights and officers identified the defendant as the driver.
He then made off from police and failed to stop. There was a pursuit on Tully Road towards Nutts Corner roundabout and onto Belfast Road.
Police lost sight of the vehicle "as it travelled at speeds that police estimated to be in excess of 120mph".
A prosecutor said police called off the pursuit to "minimise the risk to life". The vehicle was subsequently located "abandoned" in Ballymena.
A defence barrister said McAuley was "remorseful". District Judge Nigel Broderick said it had been a "very poor piece of driving".
He added: "I'm told the speeds reached 120mph. Such was the speed that police quite properly and understandably felt that to continue the pursuit would have caused further risk of injury."
McAuley was given a four-month jail term, banned from driving for 18 months and fined £200.