Man off drink for seven months took alcohol and crashed car

Aaron David Joseph Johnston (36), a chef of Knockbracken Court, Coleraine, crashed at Princess Street at 5.45am on January 17.

A prosecutor told Coleraine Magistrates Court on there was a road traffic collision in the Ramore Avenue area and two males were seen running off but were stopped after police noticed they fitted the descriptions given.

Substantial damage was caused to both vehicles and Johnston told police he had been driving his mother’s car.

A defence lawyer said his client had been off drink for seven months and after being at a friend’s house in Portrush had no intention of consuming alcohol but did.

He said the car crashed because of an issue with power-steering and his left the scene because his mobile phone had no credit and he was walking to his partner’s house in Portrush. Johnston admitted the charges including failing to stop and report an accident and was banned from the road for a year and fined £450.