Man pleads guilty over crash that left girlfriend in wheelchair

Beres Szaboles (28) had been due to go on trial at Newtownards Crown Court accusing of causing grievous bodily injury to Anastasia Kravstova by dangerous driving with the jury sworn and ready to hear evidence but instead, he pleaded guilty to a lesser offence.

After an additional count was added to the indictment Szaboles, with an address at Hillfoot Crescent in Ballynahinch, pleaded guilty to causing grievous body injury by driving carelessly on the Magheraknock Road in the town in March 2015.

Ms Kravstova suffered multiple injuries in the one vehicle accident and has been left in a wheelchair as a result but before he was initially charged, Szaboles fled Northern Ireland but was detained in Copenhagen on February 12 under a European Arrest Warrant obtained by the PSNI.

In court, prosecuting lawyer Laura Ievers said that in light of the guilty plea, she was asking for the first count to be left on the books while defence counsel Conan Rea applied for sentencing to be adjourned for a pre-sentence probation report.

He asked Judge Piers Grant to sentence Szaboles before the summer break if the report was ready in time, revealing that “if there’s any slippage in the sentencing date,” he might apply for bail.

Remanding Szaboles into custody, Judge Grant said he would pass sentence on July 3.