Court hears driver 'came round corner sideways'
Published 16 Oct 2012 10:30
The 20-year-old driver of a car which allegedly came around a corner sideways and crashed into an on-coming vehicle, failed to stop, Fermanagh Court has heard.
Denzil Patrick Jones, of Lakeview, Corr, Enniskillen, was charged with dangerous driving but convicted of the lesser offence of careless driving, fined £515 and banned from driving for three months.
A prosecutor told the court that around 6pm on Saturday, January 28, a motorist was travelling along the Lisdead Road between Derrygonnelly and Boho. As he approached a 90 degree bend a car came around the corner towards him. He said it was travelling sideways and although he swerved off the road in an attempt to avoid a collision the rear of this car struck his vehicle. The driver of the car did not stop but sped off. However, the injured party recognised him as Jones, who lived locally to him. He called at the house to discuss sorting the matter out and observed damage to the back of Jones's car. When police interviewed Jones in March, he claimed the crash happened on February 11. He denied coming around the corner sideways or offering to pay for the damage to the injured party's vehicle. He produced insurance valid from February 6, and admitted he was not insured on February 28.
Defence solicitor, Mr. Stephen Mooney, said that in terms of Jones failing to stop and report the collision, the injured party called at his home within the hour.
He said Jones had a previous conviction for careless. He was also disqualified from driving in June 2011, and had not applied to have his licence restored, which was why he had no licence at the time of the crash.
District Judge Mervyn Bates said that Jones's failure stop was somewhat mitigated by the fact that he had discussions with the injured party.
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