Man found in the driver’s seat of car had taken drugs

Allister Hanvey (38), Derryanvil Road, was fined £400 for driving while unfit on March 1.

He was fined £100 for driving without due care and attention, £100 for failing to remain at the scene and £100 for failing to report an accident.

Police received a report of a man who had fallen asleep in a car at Bridge Street. They found Hanvey sleeping in the driver’s seat. There was damage to the car.

Other police were investigating a hit-and-run at Oakvale, Craigavon where Hanvey’s vehicle had struck another car and driven off.

Hanvey was taken to the custody suite at Lurgan police station and then to Craigavon Area Hospital to be assessed.

A blood sample was taken and it showed there was a “cocktail of drugs” in his system including Diazepam and cannabis.

When interviewed Hanvey said he remembered driving on Bridge Street and waking up there. The next thing he remembered was waking up in hospital.

A defence barrister said the aggravating feature was Hanvey not realising there had been a collision.

District Judge, Mrs Bernie Kelly, said it was unfortunate Hanvey had not learned from his previous mistakes and said he was ‘spineless’ in that he was not prepared to accept responsibility.