Man jailed for number of driving offences after admitting stealing a delivery man's car

A man has been jailed at Derry Magistrates Court for a number of driving offences after admitting stealing a delivery man's car. 

Stephen O'Kane (35) of Fanad Drive in Derry was charged with, on September 23, stealing the car of a delivery driver in Leenan Gardens in Cregan.

The court heard that a driver was dropping off an order when he noticed a man getting into his car. 

A police patrol stopped the car not far away in Beechwood Avenue and O'Kane refused to give a breath specimen and police saw a number of alcoholic beverages in the car.

Later, his evidential breath test revealed a reading of 105mgs, three times the legal limit.

O'Kane had previously been disqualified from driving for fifteen years in 2014.

Defence solicitor Paddy MacDermott said that it was an 'opportunistic' crime, saying that he simply 'saw the car and got in'.

He also added that this was his first driving offence since his disqualification, also saying that O'Kane had pleaded guilty and had been 'trying to get his life back together'.

District Judge Barney McElhom said that this was 'the last thing the delivery driver had expected', adding that, had O'Kane crashed, it would've left the driver without any income in the run up to Christmas. 

He sentencied O'Kane to four months in custody, a fine of £100 and a five year disqualification.