Man refused bail after alleged dangerous driving ‘rampage’ across city
A man who led police on a “rampage” of dangerous driving during a pursuit across Belfast where he crashed into multiple vehicles, including one containing a newborn baby, has been refused bail.
Appearing in the dock of Belfast Magistrates Court, 39-year-old Gary O’Neill faced 10 charges alleged to have been committed on Monday.
In addition to one count each of dangerous driving, driving without insurance, using a vehicle with a fraudulent registration mark and failing to stop for police, O’Neill, from Bloomfield Avenue in Bangor, faces six counts of failing to stop, remain and report after an accident.
Describing O’Neill as a “prolific offender” with 74 previous convictions, a police officer objected to bail, stating: “Considering what’s happened to road users here, we believe he is a danger to the public.”
Reading a PSNI outline of the case, District Judge Peter Magill told the court a police patrol signalled for a Mini Cooper to stop at Broadway roundabout at around 2.15pm.
“The driver saw the police but accelerated away and during the pursuit, there was dangerous driving across North and West Belfast with no consideration given to the safety of other road users,” the judge said.
The car went through red lights, travelled the wrong way around a roundabout and crashed into several vehicles, it was stated.
O’Neill, the court heard, was apprehended as he got out of the driver’s seat.
Objecting to bail, the officer outlined that one of the cars O’Neill crashed into contained a newborn baby, while in another, there were multiple children who were with their grandmother. None were injured they were reportedly distressed.
Defence counsel Rosie Kinnear highlighted that despite his record for previous convictions, O’Neill has not been in court since 2019 and during that time has engaged with in drug addiction services to address his heroin addiction.
Judge Magill said the accused would likely have got penalty points and a fine if he’d stopped when signalled.
“What did he do instead? He went on what can only be described as a rampage across this city, hitting a number of other vehicles, driving with complete disregard for every other road user or pedestrian,” the judge said.
“This conduct is so serious that I agree with the police, it displayed a complete disregard for the safety and wellbeing of others."