Derry man who jailed on Thursday receives additional three month sentence
Ryan McLaughlin (29) of Bligh's Gardens in Derry was jailed in the Crown Court for two years for a series of driving offences including ramming a police car
A man who was jailed at Derry Crown Court on Thursday has received an additional three month sentence at the local Magistrates' Court for similar offences.
Ryan McLaughlin (29) of Bligh's Gardens in Derry was jailed in the Crown Court for two years for a series of driving offences including ramming a police car.
At today's sitting McLaughlin admitted a charge of dangerous driving, driving while unfit, failing to stop for police and other driving offences that occurred on October 17 last.
The court heard that police observed a vehicle being driven erratically and went to stop it.
As police approached the vehicle reversed at speed and eventually police had to make contact with the vehicle to prevent it driving away.
The occupants of the vehicle ran off and McLaughlin was detained a short distance away.
He told police at interview that he had flagged down the vehicle believing it to be driven by a friend then discovered it was not.
He said he gad not been driving the vehicle and had 'blacked out' when police approached.
Defence counsel Sinead Rogan said at the time McLaughlin had been using cocaine and alcohol.
She said her client had 'taken a realistic approach' and pleaded guilty to the offences.
District Judge Ted Magill said that this man had rammed a police car and it was 'a wonder no one was seriously injured'.
He imposed a consecutive sentence of three months and disqualified him from driving for 18 months.