Police praised after ‘careless driving’ incident

The incident took pace on April 30, when police air support noticed a car doing “doughnuts and burn-outs” at three separate road junctions in Fintona.

The crew in the helicopter were able to direct road crews to the vehicle. As a result, a 19-year-old male was interviewed for multiple offences, including dangerous driving and no insurance while a car was also seized.

DUP Councillor Wills Robinson said reports of people using noisy cars for doughnuts and drifting in the Knockmany area are becoming a regular occurrence.

“A common complaint from people living in and around Knockmany is very noisy cars using the car parks for doughnuts and drifting,” said the Clogher Valley representative.

“This has not just been confined to publicly owned car parks but also to crossroads and private property where people have a wide entrance with stones.

“There have also been cases where old cars are being rallied around the backroads without insurance, MOT or tax.

“These vehicles not only pose a danger to life, but also when they crash into a someone else or damage someone’s property they have no insurance to cover repairs. This leaves the victims out of pocket.

“Whilst I don’t know the particulars around this case, I do commend the police helicopter crew on their vigilance and also the fact that arrests were made and a vehicle seized.

“The message needs to get out to the people behind these wheels that they are being watched and will be prosecuted. I hope this will send a message to the people wrecking around the rural roads that they are not above the law.”

Speaking about the incident, Sergeant Johnny Hamill said: “A 19-year-old man has been cautioned for the offences of no insurance and driving without due care and attention in relation to an incident in the vicinity of the Aghafad Road in Fintona on 30th April.

“A file is being prepared for submission to the Public Prosecution Service.”

Adam Morton , Local Democracy Reporting Service