Drink-drive Ferrari owner claimed he took alcohol after crash

Newtownards Magistrates’ Court heard 53-year-old Christopher David Walsh was more than twice the legal drink-drive limit when his brand new £150,000 California T, bright red Ferrari crashed into two cars on the Belfast Road in Holywood on September 26 2015.

It was the defence case that property developer Walsh, from Mount Pleasant in Stranmillis in south Belfast, had consumed the alcohol AFTER the crash.

But having heard seven hours of evidence, District Judge Peter King told Walsh he had “failed spectacularly to discharge the burden that has shifted to you” on foot of his claims.

Having heard that Walsh has a previous conviction for drunk driving, Judge King commented that given the nature of his defence “I’m not surprised at that”.

Adjourning passing sentence to allow a pre-sentence probation report to be completed, the judge told Walsh he was now the subject of an interim driving disqualification but that when it came to sentencing, “I’m minded to impose a significant driving ban as well as community service”.

He warned Walsh, who had the keys to both the Ferrari and a Porsche when he was arrested hiding in bushes: “I have to say Mr Walsh, do not be tempted to get behind the wheel of a car.

“You are now disqualified and if you come back before me for driving while disqualified your liberty will be in jeopardy.”

Witness Paul Synott, who went to investigate when he heard an “almighty bang”outside his home on the Belfast Road, saw Walsh walk away from the scene of the accident.

He he got into his own car and followed him, all the while giving a running commentary to the PSNI call operator.

An off-duty PSNI officer chanced on the scene and soon afterwards found Walsh in knee-high grass.

He told the court Walsh “was fairly unsteady on his feet” and his breath had a “strong smell of intoxicating liquor”.

Arrested for driving whilst unfit and taken to Bangor station, the court heard that Walsh initially refused to give an evidential sample until he spoke to a solicitor but that when he eventually did, he was found to be more than twice the legal limit.

Part of Walsh’s defence was that he had no memory of the incident, saying his last memory was at around 4pm on the Saturday afternoon and his next was 24 hours later.

Walsh claimed he spent part of Saturday afternoon driving around Belfast looking at possible investment sites with business partner Alan Boyce.

His last memory that day, he claimed, was dropping Mr Boyce off at about 4pm and he could remember nothing of the impact two and a half hours later, being arrested or processed at the police station.

He said that he had been subjected to an assault by his son the month before when he smacked his head in the ground, claiming that his girlfriend had noticed then that his short-term memory was failing.

No MRI scans were produced to the court, however, and under cross-examination from the prosecuting lawyer it transpired a consultant neurosurgeon had given what he himself described as “generic answers” in his report as even the neurosurgeon had not seen any of Walsh’s GP notes or records.

During final submissions, the prosecution described the defence claims as “most unusual” as Walsh was claiming he drank the alcohol after the impact but couldn’t actually remember doing it, declaring that his claims “just don’t stand up to any scrutiny.”