Took horse-box on driving rampage

A FINTONA man who went on a driving rampage with a horse-box lorry smashed through gates and flattened railings.

Duane Francis Gerard Farry (32) appeared before Omagh Magistrates Court by videolink from Maghaberry jail where he has been in custody since the incident on July 18 last year.

He was sentenced to nine months in jail and disqualified from driving for three years.

District Judge, Peter Prenter suggested that he has already served the jail term on remand.

Farry was convicted of dangerous driving, aggravated taking and driving away and damaging a Scania Box Van, driving without insurance, damaging gates and a fence and failing to remain at the scene of an accident.

Farry previously served a two year disqualification for dangerous driving. He also has 63 previous convictions, with 23 of those for motoring offences.

The court was told he took the horse-box from the Ecclesville Centre in Fintona and smashed through two gates causing ‘irrepairable’ damage.

He drove down the road at speed into Castletown Square ‘flattening’ railings and causing damage to the horse-box and vehicle. He then made off on foot but was arrested. He made no comment during police interview.

Defence barrister, Joe McCann said his client has served 21 weeks in custody, the equivalent of a 42 week sentence. He added that Farry could not remember anything about the episode.

District Judge Peter Prenter described the offending as “serious” and a “reckless piece of driving.”

riving rampage