Dundrum man jailed after running away following crash

22 August 2018

A DUNDRUM man has been jailed for three months.

Stephen Collins (26) faced a series of charges at Downpatrick Court on Thursday where he appeared via videolink from Maghaberry Prison.

The 26 year-old pleaded guilty to driving dangerously on January 28 at Castlewellan Road, Clough. He also admitted driving while disqualified and using a vehicle without insurance.

The court heard how police saw Collins crawling out of the driver’s seat of a car that was overturned at Castlewellan Road.

He ran off when he saw police, but forensics matched his blood with blood from the crashed car.

At Thursday’s hearing Collins also admitted assaulting a police officer and possession of the Class C drug diazepam on May 11 at Loughside Drive, Ballynahinch. He also admitted resisting police and disorderly behaviour in the same incident.

A prosecutor said police had been called to an apartment block at Loughside Drive at 3am following a report about a group of men kicking doors and shouting.

When the police arrived, Collins started shouting at them and bit a policeman on the shoulder.

He was then found with a bag of diazepam tablets in his trousers.

Collins had addresses listed with the court at both DeCourcey Way, Dundrum, and The Cornmill, Dromara. However, his defence solicitor said that he has been staying in Liverpool recently while working as a chef.

“He wants to get away from the negative influences here,” the solicitor said.

Deputy District Judge Sean O’Hare sentenced Collins to a total of three months in prison and disqualified him from driving for a year.

Tweets by @TheDownRecorder