A 27-YEAR-OLD man returned to Latvia for his wedding just hours after crashing his car into a fence in the Derrylin area, Fermanagh Magistrates Court has heard.

Janis Smolakovs, of Kelleir Park, Derrylin, pleaded guilty to using a motor vehicle without insurance at Corratistune Road, Derrylin, not having a driving licence, not having a vehicle test certificate, failing to report a damage-only accident and failing to remain at the scene on September 30, 2017.

The court heard that, in the early hours of September 30, police were called to the Derrylin area in relation to a road traffic collision involving an Audi A3. The passenger and driver ran away from the scene following the incident.

The reporting person had been woken from their sleep at around 4.30am to 4.45am. The car had collided with a fence.

When he spoke to the passenger and driver, the reporting person said they had offered to make a payment and gave him an address in Ballyconnell that he believed was fake.

After the matter was reported to police, they fled the scene.

Police subsequently carried out checks on the vehicle and ascertained it belonged to the defendant.

Enquiries revealed that he had returned to Latvia for his wedding a number of hours after the incident.

During an interview in late October, the defendant made a full admission.

He confirmed that the Audi belonged to him and his wife.

Smolakovs claimed that, on the night in question, he had been coming back from work after finishing a night shift.

He admitted that he was not insured to drive.

“I admit I did wrong and I’m sorry for what I done,” he told police.

The defendant added that his friend ran and he decided to run after him.

Representing himself in court, and speaking through an interpreter, Smolakovs apologised and admitted again that he shouldn’t have been driving.

The defendant said he regretted what had happened and promised that it would never happen again.

The Latvian national added that he had paid for the damage to the fence.

While giving credit for his clear record and early guilty pleas, district judge Nigel Broderick observed that the offence had been aggravated by the defendant leaving the scene and not waiting for police.

The judge imposed fines totalling £500, a £15 offender levy and disqualified him from driving for 12 months.