Stolen car crashed into police car, court told

Ryan Kelly also admitted disorderly behaviour in Altnagelvin Hospital on two separate occasions.

The 24-year-old, of Glenabbey Road, pleaded guilty to aggravated vehicle taking causing damage and injury on August 10, last year.

He also pleaded guilty to disorderly behaviour and assaulting police in September and December 2019.

Derry Magistrate’s Court heard that police received a report of a car being stolen in the early hours of the morning. Two hours later this vehicle was driven towards police on the Lenamore Road.

A stinger operation was carried out and the tyres were deflated. A stationary police vehicle was struck by the stolen car, causing damage and minor injuries to two officers inside.

Four people ran off from the stolen car and Kelly was detained after police pursued the men across nearby fields.

Kelly was intoxicated and not fit for interview until some time after his arrest. He told police that he had been offered a lift by two men and did not know the vehicle was stolen until police used the stinger.

The court heard that the following month Kelly was arrested in relation to a domestic incident. He required medical attention and when officers took him to Altnagelvin Hospital he became aggressive. Kelly told an officer he would be ‘blown up’ before telling a second officer he would spit in his face.

Kelly tried to run off from police and attempted to headbutt an officer. The court heard both the officer and Kelly fell to the floor of the waiting area as a result and Kelly continued to kick out, striking an officer on the knee.

In December, police had occasion to call to Kelly’s address and he was taken to hospital by ambulance. He became highly aggressive towards hospital staff and police and he kicked an officer, causing an injury to their thumb.

It was revealed Kelly has 38 previous convictions.

Defence counsel Stephen Chapman said his client was a passenger in the stolen vehicle, however that ‘does not take away from the seriousness of the incident generally’.

Jailing Kelly for a total of nine months, District Judge Ted Magill also disqualified him from driving for 18 months and imposed an offender levy of £25.