A recently married couple started their life together in “not the best of circumstances” after both are handed driving bans.
Kevin Wall, 27, of Cambridgeshire, appeared at Craigavon Magistrates’ on Friday charged with dangerous driving, driving without a licence, with no insurance or MOT, failing to stop, remain or report an accident and refusing to give a breath sample for an alcohol reading.
His wife, Charlotte Maria Sheridan, 20, was also charged with driving without insurance, with no MOT, as an unaccompanied L driver, with no L plates, driving without due care and attention and permitting someone to drive with no insurance.
The incident occurred on January 13, this year, at around 12.35pm when police witnessed a BMW increase its speed in the direction of Millennium Way, Lurgan, before turning into a Tesco car park.
Police approached the car on foot as it was parked, then noticed that the reverse light was illuminated.
Court heard that Wall reversed into the open door of the police vehicle, forcing it to close, which caused the officer who remained in the car to bang his forearm.
Another constable tried to grab the handle of Wall’s car as he made off but the constable’s finger got trapped in it for some time.
Wall drove to Hill Street, Lurgan, where he abandoned the car and made off on foot.
When police arrived here they found Sheridan in the driver’s seat of the vehicle and when approached she rolled the car into a parked Peugeot.
Police later found Wall who was highly intoxicated and refused to take a breath test.
When taken to the police station Wall refused to leave his cell and several times officers asked him to give a breath sample but he declined to do so.
Officers later discovered that the vehicle also did not have a valid MOT.
Defence counsel told the court that Wall had come to this country to marry Sheridan and did so just “three or four days” before these events.
Court also heard that Wall does have a relevant record in England.
The defence explained that Wall and Sheridan planned to move England to begin their life together, adding that Wall had a history of mental health issues.
District Judge Bernie Kelly sentenced Wall to three months in prison, fined him £175 and disqualified him from driving for two years.
Sheridan was disqualified from driving for six months and received a fine of £700.
Both were also ordered to pay an offender’s levy of £15.
