Bail refused to driver who ‘drove like maniac’ in pursuit by police
A banned driver who drove “like a maniac” when police tried to pull him over has been refused bail.
At Belfast Magistrates’ Court, 28-year-old Richard Jones confirmed his identity and that he understood the charges against him.
Jones, from Carntall Rise in Newtownabbey, faces allegations of dangerous driving, driving while banned, driving without insurance as well as counts of failing to stop, remain and report, all committed on August 27.
During a contested application for bail on Saturday, the court heard how police spotted an uninsured vehicle on the Shankill Road last Wednesday so tried to pull it over.
The vehicle sped off so officers followed with “full blues and twos,” as the vehicle breached a red light.
“There were further breaches of several red lights and the car drove into oncoming traffic,” a police officer said.
She said that even after a stinger device had been deployed to deflate the tyres, the vehicle drove on “and used oncoming traffic to evade police”.
Jones, the officer told the court, jumped out while the vehicle was still moving but he was detained a short distance away.
Outlining how some of the incident had been captured on video, the constable said there were objections to Jones being freed due to concerns about further offending.
Revealing that Jones has more than 60 previous convictions for road traffic offences, “police consider that he is a risk to the public”.
Jones’ defence lawyer conceded that while he has a relevant record and “made admissions during interviews,” she submitted that he could be granted bail with a package of conditions.
She told District Judge John Meehan the defendant had been in court earlier last month when he had been given a community service order for similar offending.
Jones, said the lawyer, has not been able to start those hours yet so if he was freed, that order “could kick in”.
Describing how Jones had “driven like a maniac” across north Belfast, Judge Meehan said given the admissions and the previous offences, “there will be an inevitable outcome so I see no reason not to keep people from harm, sooner”.
Refused bail due to the risk of further offending, Jones was remanded to appear again on September 23.