A 23-YEAR-OLD man who fled the scene after crashing his car into a tree later told police that a momentary lapse in concentration had caused the collision, Fermanagh Magistrates Court has heard.

Christopher Ferguson, of Loughshore Road, Belleek, pleaded guilty to driving without due care and attention at Lower Chanterhill Road, Enniskillen on October 19, 2015.

The court heard that, at 5am, police received a report that a car had collided with a tree and that the vehicle remained in the middle of the road on a bad bend.

Upon arrival at the scene, officers observed that there was “significant damage” to the nearside front of the vehicle and the airbags had been deployed. There was no sign of the car’s driver.

A search operation involving the police and the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) was launched. Ferguson was subsequently located at 3pm.

He confirmed that he had been driving the vehicle, adding that he had “panicked” and went to a friend’s house where he had fallen asleep.

When he was interviewed again on a later date, the defendant told the police that he had been leaving a friend home and closed his eyes momentarily before the crash.

He admitted that he hadn’t been concentrating properly and this was the main cause of the collision.

Defending solicitor, Niall Bogue, told the court that his client worked as barman and, on the night in question, had went to a friend’s flat at the end of his shift.

The solicitor said Ferguson had stayed there for a while before being asked to give a lift home.

Mr Bogue said his client was not overly familiar with the Lower Chanterhill Road and the accident had occurred on a bad bend.

The solicitor attributed the collision to a lapse in concentration due to tiredness.

He said that, in the wake of the crash, the defendant had “simply panicked” and returned to his friend’s flat as he was “shook up”.

In mitigation, Mr Bogue said his client, who was in court with his mother, had held his driving licence for six years. He added that his car had been “written off”.

District judge Peter King gave credit for the defendant’s guilty plea and previous good character, but observed: “It was very lucky you walked away from this.”

The judge imposed a £200 fine, a £15 offender levy and endorsed Ferguson’s driving licence with four penalty points.