Convicted sex offender drove off from police car at speed of 120mph
A convicted sex offender sped off from police and hit an estimated speed of 120mph causing officers to halt a pursuit due to the risk to the public.
The driver, Thomas Macauley (25), formerly of Ballymena and now with an address listed in Belfast, appeared at Antrim Magistrates' Court, sitting in Ballymena, on Tuesday.
He was on video link from prison for sentencing on charges of dangerous driving; failing to stop for police; driving whilst disqualified; and absence of insurance for an Audi S3 on January 18 this year.
At 12.15am a police patrol saw the Audi at Belmont Road in Antrim.
Police turned and followed onto Oldstone Road and a second vehicle moved in to intercept. The Audi was briefly brought to a stop at a roundabout.
Both vehicles had activated blue lights and officers identified the defendant as the driver.
He then made off from police and failed to stop and there was a pursuit on Tully Road towards Nutts Corner roundabout and onto Belfast Road.
Police lost sight of the vehicle "as it travelled at speeds that police estimated to be in excess of 120mph".
A prosecutor said police called off the pursuit to minimise the risk to life.
The vehicle was subsequently located abandoned in Ballymena.
A defence barrister said McAuley was remorseful.
District Judge Nigel Broderick said it had been a very poor piece of driving.
He added: "I'm told the speeds reached 120mph. Such was the speed that police quite properly and understandably felt that to continue the pursuit would have caused further risk of injury".
The judge said even though the defendant had contested the charges Macauley now accepts he was guilty.
McAuley was given a four months jail term; was banned from driving for 18 months; and was fined £200.