Driving ban for teenager who crashed through fence in Cookstown while drunk

Michael Wilson, 19, of Legar Hill Park, Armagh pleaded guilty to offences of driving when unfit, unaccompanied L driver, No L plates displayed and using a motor vehicle without insurance.

A court heard how police were called to a house on Dungannon Road, Cookstown on February 2 this year at 9.20am following a report from home owners that they heard loud banging on their door from around 6.30am that morning.

Police observed a Peugeot 306 which had crashed through the fence of the house and into a field. Police also noticed blood on both doors of the house and a pool of blood outside the house.

They searched around the premises and located the defendant a short time later, he was in a bad state in a caravan on the premises. He had sustained a bad injury to his hand and was covered in blood and mud. Police could smell intoxicating liquor from the defendant and he was taken to hospital for treatment to his injuries.

The couple who lived in the house said they did not open the door to the man as they felt vulnerable because of their age.

Police interview Mr Wilson on March 3 and he admitted he had been drinking and that he was out with his girlfriend when they had an argument and he decided to drive home to clear his head. Mr Wilson sustained broken fingers and fractures as well as needing skin graft on his hand. He admitted to police he was unfit to drive on the night in question.

A defence solicitor for Mr Wilson told the court his client comes from a good family and still attends the Ulster Hospital Fracture clinic for his injuries.

The estimated damage to the fence and property of the residents home where Mr Wilson crashed into was £2296.

Deputy District Judge Mateer told Mr Wilson: “The fact that you were unfit to drive is made very clear with your losing control of the vehicle.

He fined Wilson £635 in total and disqualified him from driving for three years,