Firefighters helped rescue elderly couple who were 'seriously injured' in Lurgan crash, Craigavon court hears
An elderly couple, on their way to get a Covid jab, were ‘seriously’ injured in a crash in Lurgan, a court has heard.
Ferenczi Norbett Karoly, aged 26, from Clanrolla Park, Craigavon appeared before Craigavon Magistrates Court.
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He faced two charges of causing grievous bodily injury by careless driving and one charge of being unable to have a full view of the road.
The court heard that police attended a two-vehicle road traffic collision on the Portadown Road, Lurgan on April 21, 2021 at the Gilpinstown Road junction.
Two elderly people who were travelling towards Craigavon to get their Covid vaccine were in one of the vehicles..
The second vehicle, driven by the defendant, was travelling towards Lurgan and driven into the ‘right turn only lane’ to turn into the Gilpinstown Road.
A prosecutor said: “The defendant slowed down and turned right across the opposite lane without stopping or looking, causing the first vehicle to collide with him.
"The occupants of the first vehicle had to be cut out by the NI Fire and Rescue Service.”
The male occupant suffered six broken ribs. His wife suffered a dislocated right ankle, rib fractures, spinal fractures and mental health issues as a result of the crash.
The court heard an examination of the defendant’s vehicle found a ‘sticker’ on the front windscreen which was ‘illegal and may have obstructed the full view of the road’.
The defendant made full admissions immediately ‘confirming he hadn’t stopped before turning and had not seen the other vehicle’.
Both elderly victims were admitted to the Royal Victoria Hospital and both stayed up to 10 days for treatment.
The prosecutor confirmed the male victim was aged 75 at the time but his wife’s age was not given.
Karoly’s barrister, Mr Damien Halleron, said he has been instructed to give “an unequivocal apology” to the couple.
Mr Halleron said: "He accepts he wasn’t looking properly at the time. We are all drivers and we know that momentary inattention, which is a failure to look properly, can cause catastrophic injury,” he said, adding his client was also injured.
Mr Halleron said his client had full comprehensive insurance which “should compensate for the injuries they have sustained”.
He added Karoly has been living in the jurisdiction since he was aged 11 and went to schools and college here.
"He is a professional driver and accepts that has to come to an end. He has told his employer and unfortunately his employer is not able to reassign him,” said Mr Halleron.
He said this case has been hanging over him for five years. A prosecutor explained the injured parties hadn’t made statements which delayed the case.
"He has extra qualifications re his professional driving. He has never been before the court in his life, not even a penalty point.”
District Judge Michael Ranaghan said: “You did not go out to harm these people but unfortunately significant harm has been caused to them.
"They have been impacted but your family is going to be impacted as well,” he said, banning Karoly from driving for 12 months with no need for a driving test resit. He also fined him £150 each on the careless driving and £100 fine for failure to have full view of the road plus a £15 offender levy.