Derry man crashed into shop front while drunk and disqualified

Derry Magistrate's Court heard today how a driver drove into the front of a shop while over the legal limit.

Darrell Torrens (58) of Foyle Street in Derry admitted a series of offences including driving with excess alcohol and while disqualified on August 15.

The court heard police were called to a report of a vehicle being driven into a shop in Strathfoyle.

Police discovered a vehicle damaged as was the shop and a witness told them they had seen the incident and gave a description of the driver.

Torrens gave a reading of 52mgs.

Defence solicitor Keith Kyle said his client was driving an automatic car he was unfamiliar with and hit the accelerator instead of the brake and 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.

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The 34-year-old defendant was represented by solicitor Mr Rory O’Brien, who told the court: 'There is a complicated set of facts to say the least'

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He sentenced Torrens to one month in prison suspended for three years, fined £250 and was disqualified from driving for three years.