Took grandmother’s car without consent

A drunken teenager who took his grandmother’s car and crashed it was banned from driving for 12 months last Friday at Craigavon Magistrates Court.

Dylan Mawhinney (19), whose address was given as Clanrolla Park, Craigavon, was also fined £300 and ordered to pay a £15 offender’s levy for excess alcohol in his breath on May 26 this year.

For not having insurance he was fined £300 and banned for 12 months while a £150 fine was imposed for aggravated taking of a vehicle without the consent of the owner.

He was also fined £100 for not having a licence.

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The court heard that a police foot patrol saw a car which had crashed into signage at the Rushmere roundabout in Craigavon.

Mawhinney approached them and said he had taken the car without his grandmother’s permission.

There was a smell of intoxicating liquor from him and he failed a preliminary breath test.

On his way to the custody suite he told police: “I went into a f—king signpost.”

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An evidential breath test gave a reading of 55 - the legal limit is 35 - and Mawhinney made full admissions.

Miss Siun Downey, representing the defendant, said her client was amassing quite a record and taking his grandmother’s car was an extremely foolish thing to do.

Mawhinney appeared on the videolink and a forthwith warrant was issued for the fines.