Banned driver behind the wheel of lorry led police on pursuit along country roads - court told
A banned driver who was behind the wheel of a lorry when he led police on a pursuit along country roads was refused bail today.
Ordering that Colin Murray must remain in custody, Deputy District Judge Joe Rice said given the background to the offending where three police officers were injured, the 36-year-old “clearly poses a risk to the general public.”
“There is no condition that this court can impose that I would have any confidence that he would adhere to,” the judge told Newry Magistrates Court.
Appearing in the dock, Murray, with an address at Woodbrook in Omagh, confirmed that he understood each of the ten charges against him, alleged to have been committed on 17 October this year.
The charges include dangerous driving on the Moygannon Road in Warrenpoint, failing to stop, remain and report after an accident, driving while unfit and while disqualified and failing to provide a specimen of blood.
In addition, Murray also faces three drug offences, alleging that he possessed class C prescription-only drugs zopiclone, gabapentin and tramadol, on the same date.
Objecting to bail due to concerns about further offending, a police officer told the court it was around 11.30pm on Saturday evening when there was a report of a blue Scania articulated lorry driving erratically.
Officers located the lorry and using their lights and sirens, signalled for it to stop but it failed to stop and a pursuit commenced.
The lorry made off "at speed and on the wrong side of the road", before crashing into a police vehicle and injuring three officers before continuing towards Rostrevor.
That pursuit, the court heard, reached speeds up to 70 mph along country roads so, given the perceived dangers, officers pulled back and followed from a distance but were able to see that it was swerving over the road and crossing the white line on several occasions.
The pursuit ended at Water Street in Rostrevor when Murray jumped out of the lorry and ran away but the officer said he was detained a short distance away.
The class C drugs were uncovered when the lorry cab was searched, the court heard.
The officer told the court that in addition to the driving ban imposed in a Magistrates Court in Wales last January, Murray has a number of similar offences which are pending.
Despite defence submissions that Murray could be granted bail subject to conditions, Judge Rice disagreed.
He remanded Murray in custody and adjourned the case to 11 November.