Lurgan disqualified driver was caught by PSNI with no shoes and his car door held closed with a phone charger cable, Craigavon court hears
A Co Armagh man, who was caught with no shoes and his car door held closed with a phone charger cable, must wait until June to find out if he will be jailed.
Daniel Anthony Mulvenna, aged 38, from Drumlin Drive, Lurgan, appeared before Craigavon Magistrates Court charged with two counts of driving while disqualified, failing to stop for police, driving with excess alcohol, using a vehicle in a dangerous condition, careless driving and two counts of no insurance on dates between June 25 and July 12 last year.
-
-
In the first set of charges, the court heard that police spotted Mulvenna driving at Church Place, Lurgan on June 25 last year and activated their lights and sirens in an attempt to stop him.
Mulvenna sped off towards Edward Street failing to indicate and swerving over the central reservation line and failing to slow for speed bumps in Shankill Street, a prosecutor said, adding the defendant couldn’t be found.
Then on July 12 last year, police spotted the same vehicle parked at Lough View Filling Station in Lurgan. Mulvenna was seen in the shop and arrested. He appeared to be under the influence of alcohol and wasn’t wearing shoes, the prosecutor said, adding the defendant’s shoes were found in the driver’s side footwell.
Police noted the driver’s door of the vehicle was damaged and held closed by a phone charger cable.
CCTV showed the defendant, wearing the same clothes he was arrested in, driving the vehicle into the forecourt parking, climbing over the centre console and exiting from the passenger’s side.
An evidential reading showed 63 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal drink-driving limit is 35 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath.
During an officer’s examination of the vehicle, police noted several defects. As a result, the vehicle was deemed to be in a dangerous condition.
Police contacted Direct Line Motability, the insurance company, who said they weren’t aware the defendant was a disqualified driver.
Mulvenna’s barrister, Mr Conor Lunny, said his client is in “a very different shape” than he was last summer, adding Mulvenna has suffered alcohol addiction since his teens and referred to a letter from Community Addictions.
"He is seeking to tackle that issue, albeit belatedly,” said Mr Lunny, adding he is instructed Mulvenna has seen Community Addictions three times in the last month.
The barrister added Mulvenna did a month on remand on these charges and instructed he only took a drink on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day since last August.
Mr Lunny said the defendant knows he will be off the road for quite some time but urged the judge to avoid sending him into custody immediately and consider deferring sentence.
District Judge Michael Ranaghan said: “It is quite clear from this that alcohol is your issue and causing you to be a danger to the public.”
He pointed to confirmation Mulvenna is engaging with Community Additions, saying the case “cries out for a deferral”.
He warned Mulvenna he was facing a lengthy jail sentence, however deferred sentencing for four months barring the defendant from offending in any way and the condition that he continue to engage with Community Addictions. The case was adjourned until June 17.