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A DUNGANNON woman who caused a road traffic collision whilst under the influence of cocaine has been disqualified from driving and handed a fine, after she contested the charges against her.
Appearing before Dungannon Magistrates Court on Friday was Lynne Marie Mulgrew (43) of Killymaddy Hill. Mulgrew was chared with dangerous driving and driving when unfit through drink drugs.
Giving evidence, the injured party from the collision stated that on March 27 last year, they were driving on the Newell Road with a child in the car when they observed Mulgrew’s vehicle driving on the wrong side of the road.
Whilst they attempted to swerve, Mulgrew’s vehicle collided head-on with the injured party’s vehicle. The victim suffered whiplash, seatbelt related injuries, and trauma from the accident.
The court heard that two hours after the accident had taken place, Mulgrew gave blood samples at Craigavon Hospital where she tested positive for cocaine, benzodiazepines and pregabalin.
Constable Andrew Mitchell of the PSNI told the court that upon officers’ arrival at the scene, Mulgrew was behaving erratically and that her speech was slurred.
In a statement provided by Constable Mitchell, it was stated that when Mulgrew was interviewed by police, she claimed that was had been prescribed cocaine. Mulgrew later denied this claim.
The defendant made numerous claims relating to the cause of the accident, firstly stating that her phone had fallen from the dashboard of her vehicle, hitting her toe which she had recently broken, causing her to swerve.
After being called to give evidence, Mulgrew further stated that the surface of the road was wet and she swerved her vehicle in order to avoid potholes on the road.
In an attempt to explain the cocaine in her system, Mulgrew claimed that, following the accident, she consumed the class A drug in the back of a police car when left unattended, due to fear that she would be charged with possession of the drug.
Police stated that the defendant had admitted to taking cocaine on the morning of the incident, which Mulgrew also denied. She said she had taken cocaine the day before.
Mulgrew also made claims that police were rough with her and treated her unfairly at the scene, claiming that they left her arms ‘black and blue’ after manhandling her and that they denied her water.
The Dungannon woman further claimed that Constable Mitchell had lied in his statement; she denied saying that she had been prescribed cocaine. She admitted to taking pregabalin every day on prescription.
District Judge Rafferty described Mulgrew’s case of defence as ‘contentious’ and said it was obvious that she had ‘lied under oath’.
“You are guilty on both accounts and must be convicted,” said Judge Rafferty,“Even at the base level of this case, your car was simply not roadworthy.”
Judge Rafferty further stated that the case should ‘never had been contested’ and described it as ‘an insult to the court’.
It was further noted that Mulgrew had a relevant record with previous convictions in 2024 relating to driving without a license, failing to stop for police and driving a vehicle in dangerous condition.
Describing Mulgrew as a ‘danger to the public’, Judge Rafferty disqualified Mulgrew from driving for two years and handed her a total of £400 in fines.
