Alleged robber rammed PSNI car during 120mph pursuit on A1 dual carriageway, court hears

At one stage a passenger hung out the window to strike one of the police cars with a bottle of cider.

A PSNI officer was also injured as he tried to stop the suspects escape towards the Irish border, a judge was told.

Details emerged as Dorrian, of Aspen Park in Dunmurry, Co Antrim, was refused bail on a series of charges related to the pursuits on March 7 this year.

He faces counts of robbery, fraud by false representation, dangerous driving, assault on police, and failing to stop or remain at the scene of accidents.

Crown counsel Stephanie Boyd claimed he was one of two men who initially targeted a newsagents in the Milltown Avenue area of Lisburn.

The raiders jumped over the counter, took cash from the till and stole the shop assistant’s handbag containing her purse and bank cards.

Both men escaped in an Audi A3 said to be insured to Dorrian.

Cards belonging to the victim were then used to make purchases at an off licence and supermarket.

CCTV footage allegedly identified Dorrian as being the driver in the car at that stage, the court heard.

Police mounted a first attempt to stop the vehicle in Portadown at around 5pm that day.

However, it made off at excessive speeds through the town centre, navigating a roundabout against the flow of traffic and forcing officers to abandon the chase because of the danger to the public.

Mrs Boyd contended Dorrian was still behind the wheel when PSNI officers spotted the car again near the village of Poyntzpass.

“He deliberately reverse-rammed into the police vehicle in order to escape, causing injury to an officer by the collision,” she alleged.

“The pursuit continued onto the A1, with the same driver reaching speeds in excess of 120mph.”

The court heard that the Audi weaved in and out of traffic and travelled along the hard shoulder.

It also struck a second PSNI car without coming to a halt on the dual carriageway.

“Police were trying to overtake it to get it to stop, and it rammed them while they were moving,” counsel said.

“The other male passenger was hanging out the window at this time and throwing items at the police vehicle.

“At one stage he threw a full bottle of cider, hitting the bonnet of the police vehicle.”

Officers eventually ended the pursuit when the Audi crossed the border into the Republic of Ireland.”

Gardai subsequently informed the PSNI they are investigating further suspected offences, including an attempted theft and assault on a staff member at a branch of Lidl, and another robbery at a filling station.

The car was later stopped and seized in Dublin, with the shop assistant’s make-up and driving licence found inside it.

Dorrian was located and arrested in Belfast on March 18.

A black hooded gilet which matched clothing worn by one of the suspected robbers was seized from his home, according to the prosecution.

Opposing bail, Mrs Boyd argued his proposed address is less than two miles from the newsagents where the victim still works.

“The injured party has made it known to police she is terrified.

“Following (the robbery) she kept the door of the shop locked and would not open it until she could see who the customer was.”

Defence barrister Patrick Taylor argued that the allegations against Dorrian were being portrayed as fact.

“Nothing has been proven, there is a presumption of innocence,” he stressed.

Dorrian’s mother also told the court how he has a range of diagnosed mental health problems, including paranoid schizophrenia and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Bail was refused due to concerns he could re-offend or potentially interfere with witnesses.

Ms Justice Smyth ruled: “I am not satisfied the risks can be satisfactorily managed and most concerned about the driving elements of these alleged offences.”