A man who crashed a car into a hedge was a disqualified driver with a fake driving licence and was handed a five-month prison sentence for a series of driving and public order offences.

On December 17, 2022, at around 6.25pm police received a report from a member of the public of a one-vehicle road traffic collision in which a car had crashed into a hedge on the Corraghy Road near Brookeborough.

The person also said they believed the driver was intoxicated.

When police arrived at the scene, they detected a Vauxhall Astra in a ditch and the driver, Stanislovas Juozevicius (47), of Derryree Wood, Lisnaskea, sitting in the car. His eyes appeared glazed and bloodshot and there was a smell of alcohol.

Juozevicius failed a preliminary breath test and was arrested and cautioned, Enniskillen Magistrates Court heard last Monday, April 24.

As he was being conveyed to custody, his behaviour changed from aggressive to calm to aggressive again, and he had to be restrained.

His aggression increased when he was due to use the intoxilyser and he had to be brought to a cell, the court heard.

Checks showed he was a disqualified driver with no insurance, and he had a Lithuanian driving licence with his photo but a different name, which was a forged copy.

The owner of the Vauxhall Astra also told police Juozevicius had no permission to take the car.

Juozevicius’ barrister told the court his client could not fully remember the circumstances giving rise to the offences.

He explained Juozevicius had been at a friend’s house drinking, and inexplicably took the car to drive home, and collided with the hedge.

The barrister said Juozevicius was thankful no other road user was seriously harmed.

They continued, saying the offences were serious with aggravating features being the consumption of alcohol and the manner of driving.

He said Juozevicius’ “saving grace” was the early guilty plea and admissions at interview.

He said Juozevicius had spent four months on remand for the offences and according to sentencing guidelines, this was beyond time served, and the time in custody had impressed on Juozevicius the severity of the offences.

Juozevicius was convicted of failing to provide a specimen, possession of a false identity document, driving whilst disqualified, no insurance, two counts of resisting police, taking a vehicle without authority and failing to report a damage-only accident.

In total, he was given a five-month prison sentence, and disqualified from driving for three years.