Motorist banned after three vehicle collision in Moneymore

Factory worker Mateusz Brussy (28), of Salters Bridge, Magherafelt, was fined a total of £800 with a £15 offender levy, and banned from driving for 12 months.

Brussy admitted aggravated taking of a car causing damage, driving with excess alcohol in breath, having no insurance and no driving licence.

Deputy District Judge Noel Dunlop was told that police were called to a report of a collision at High Street in the village at 5.55pm on December 19 last.

Prosecuting counsel said the reporting person told police one of the parties involved was under the influence of alcohol. Counsel said upon arrival police saw the defendant sitting in the driving seat of a Skoda car which was side ways in the road with considerable damage to the front wheel arch.

It appeared that the Skoda was in collision with a Ford Transit which pushed into another vehicle, he said. The lawyer said on speaking to the defendant he told them that the driver of the Skoda was a friend of his who had run away.

He said Brussy could not give the name of his friend and could not explain why he was sitting in the driving seat with the engine running.

Counsel said he was arrested after failing a preliminary breath test and taken to Dungannon custody suite where he provided a breath specimen showing an alcohol reading of 62mgs.

He said police conducted further checks and discovered that he had no valid insurance policy or driving licence.

Two witnesses had given police statements of observing the defendant trying to start the vehicle in an attempt to drive away. Continuing, counsel said police contacted the defendant’s father who said he had given no one permission to drive the vehicle.

Brussy later provided police with an a no comment interview, but insisted he had been trying to move the car off the road, the prosecutor added.

Admitting the offences, a defence lawyer said the defendant is a Polish national who has been living in Northern Ireland for eight years.

He explained at the time Brussy and his long time partner had split up and he had taken his father’s car to get out of the house and “just clear his head”.

He said it was very fortunate for the defendant that there were no injuries as a result of the collision.

The lawyer admitted Brussy had “not dealt with these matters very well”. He said the defendant had also been on medication for his mental health.

The lawyer asked the court to “leave something hanging over his head”, as his last offence was in 2016.

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