Man jailed after dramatic car chase through Derry

A Derry man was jailed today following a dramatic car chase through the city.

Daniel Deery, 24, of Glenabbey Road, admitted dangerous driving whilst disqualified, criminal damage and no insurance.

The offences took place on June 20, 2014.

A court heard that, on the night in question, police on mobile patrol noticed a dark coloured Mondeo at the traffic lights at the bottom of Spencer Road heading over the top deck of the Craigavon Bridge at speed.

The police saw a dark-haired man, now known to be Deery, was driving with two blonde haired female passengers.

The car straddled the carriageway as it went across the bridge and ran a red light at Bishop Street. The car continued to be driven aggressively through Rossville Street, Fahan Street through to Creggan Road, running another set of red lights.

On Creggan Road, Deery overtook with no road of the brow of the road above him and had to swerve to avoid an oncoming car.

Deery continued overtaking and speeding, driving on both sides of the road and going around traffic islands on the wrong side of the road.

He continued to speed and drive aggressively until police abandoned the chase at Coshquin Road because of the danger it involved.

A police vehicle with a two tone siren was at the border and a stinger, a device with barbs, was deployed across the road to stop the dangerous speeding car.

A police officer who stood out on the road with a flashlight to bring Deery to a stop had to get out of the way as he drove towards him, refusing to stop.

Another police check point with two Land Rovers was set up near at the Benview Estate but Deery saw police, revved the car and drove over another stinger device.

Police caught up with Deery on the Skeoge Road where he was driving in the centre of the road, having difficulty controlling the car with the front tyre almost off the rim.

Deery attempted to get away and opened the car door, striking and damaging a police vehicle.

When he spoke to police, Deery said he was a passenger in the car and wasn’t allowed to be in the car and had breached his curfew having a large number of driving offences.

A defence barrister said that Deery was ‘not yet too old to make something useful of his life’ and that ‘the choice is his whether he wants to continue these patterns of offending followed by periods of incarceration’.

Derry Crown Court today heard that Deery had 60 previous convictions.

He was jailed for two years and nine months, with a further 15 months to be served on licence.

Deery was also banned from driving for three years.