A LETTERKENNY man was handed down a four-month custodial sentence after being convicted of crashing a stolen car while under the influence of alcohol.
Donal Kelly (27), of Windmill View, Letterkeny, appeared before Strabane Magistrates Court via videolink from Maghaberry Prison, Lisburn, last Thursday charged with a number of offences including driving with excess alcohol, using a motor vehicle in a dangerous condition, driving without a license, using a vehicle without insurance, handling stolen property that was obtained in the Republic of Ireland, failing to stop after an accident, failing to remain at the location of an accident, and failing to report an accident.
Kelly pleaded guilty to all charges. He has been in custody for four months and 26 days.
Counsel for the PPS said that on October 1 2024 at 3.13 am, police were alerted by a member of the public that a silver car was driving on Main Street, Strabane, in ‘very bad condition’ and was missing a tire.
Some time later, police located the vehicle parked at Asda car park on Railway Street. Officers approached the car, which was badly damaged and was missing a wheel. Officers said that there was a strong smell of alcohol coming from the inside of the vehicle, which was driven by Kelly.
He was arrested and brought to Strabane Custody Suite and was given a breath test, which he failed, having 56 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath. The UK legal limit is 35 micrograms per 100 millilitres of breath. Police also discovered that the vehicle was one that was stolen in the Republic of Ireland earlier that day.
Some time later the PSNI received a report that earlier in the night the vehicle driven by Kelly had been involved in a collision with a car that was parked outside a property in Strabane.
This incident was caught on dashcam footage recorded by a camera inside the stolen vehicle. A number of other items were found in the car, including a mobile phone and personal artifacts that were returned to the owner.
Kelly’s defence solicitor said that his client was due credit due to his early guilty plea and the fact that his client had no record in the North of Ireland; he did admit that his client did have a record in the Republic of Ireland with 36 previous offences.
Deputy District Judge Trevor Browne, said that normally in a case such as this he would ask for a pre-sentence report but that he would deal with sentencing.
Kelly received a four-month prison sentence and a 12-month driving disqualification along with a £100 fine. Kelly was then released due to having time served.
