'Insanity' says Derry judge as banned driver who drove into shop sentenced
A man who drove into the front of a shop while over the limit has been sentenced at Derry Magistrate's Court.
Darrell Torrens (58) of Foyle Street admitted offences including driving with excess alcohol and driving while disqualified.
Police were called to a report of a vehicle being driven into a shop in Strathfoyle on August 15, and on arrival discovered the damaged vehicle and the damage to the premises. A witness gave a description of the driver.
Torrens gave a reading of 52mgs.
Defence solicitor Keith Kyle said Torrens was driving an automatic car he was unfamiliar with and hit the accelerator instead of the brake.
The solicitor said that this was 'not helped by the alcohol'.
District Judge Ted Magill said that this was 'insanity' as the defendant only drove a matter of a few hundred yards.
He said that the defendant had serious health issues and the reading was low.
He sentenced Torrens to one month in prison, suspended for 3 years, fined him £250 and disqualified him from driving for 3 years.