Drunk van driver crashed into car when using phone

A VAN driver was more than twice over the legal limit when he crashed into a parked car in Castlederg, a court has heard.

Aaron Gallagher (20), of Stoney Heights, Castlederg, also admitted to police that he had been using his mobile phone while driving, which had led to the collision.

At Strabane Magistrates Court on Thursday, the defendant’s solicitor, John Fahy, entered guilty pleas to driving with excess alcohol in his breath at Castlefinn Road, Castlederg, driving without due care and attention and using a vehicle without insurance on January 9 this year.

The court heard that, on the date in question, the PSNI received a report of a no-injury road traffic collision in Castlederg.

The owner of a red Volkswagen Golf told police that a van had crashed into the front end of her car, which had been parked on the side of the road.

When officers attended the scene, the defendant was standing beside the front door of the van. He admitted that he had been driving and using his mobile phone, which had led to the crash.

Gallagher told the officers that the van belonged to his father and he didn’t have insurance.

After failing a preliminary breath test, the defendant was conveyed to custody and gave a further evidential reading of 89 micrograms of alcohol in 100ml of breath – 54 micrograms in excess of the limit.

Deputy District Judge, John Connolly, gave the defendant credit for his early guilty pleas, but observed the reading was “over double the limit”.

Mr Connolly then adjourned the case for a week to allow Gallagher to be present in court for his sentencing.