A man was arrested for driving while disqualified, without a licence or insurance, after he drove to a police station, parked outside and walked into the enquiry office holding a set of car keys, a court heard today.
Seamus Baldrick has 37 previous convictions and had earlier been disqualified from driving after drink driving to a police station to make a report.
The 45-year-old from Altcar, was refused bail at Derry Magistrate’s Court by Judge Barney McIlhone on Thursday, October 20 and had a previous bail agreement revoked.
A police officer told the court: “Mr Baldrick actually attended Strand Road enquiry office on [October] 19 to provide a statement to police and at one point it came to their attention that he was wanted in relation to the breach of bail at the time.
“Police became aware that Mr Baldrick had keys in his possession, vehicle keys and CCTV was viewed from Strand Road. Police observed Mr Baldrick driving, parking and leaving his vehicle on Asylum Rd, a Volkswagen Caddy at 1242hrs. There were no other persons present within that vehicle.
“He was then observed walking into Strand Road inquiry office and coming into the station. He was then arrested for driving while disqualified for both occasions, driving with no insurance or driving licence and the breach of bail.
“He was interviewed and Mr Baldrick denied driving but admitted being a passenger in the vehicle. He also denies driving to Asylum Rd but admits getting out of the driver’s seat of the vehicle. He admits he is disqualified and he does not hold a driver’s licence.
“Obviously, police reviewed the CCTV and there was no other person present in that vehicle. He has 37 previous convictions and was disqualified from driving after drink driving to the police station to make a report.
“He got an interim disqualification in the meantime and that case has still to be dealt with and we would say that there’s a very high risk that he is going to drive, therefore a risk of him putting the public at risk. He does not have a driving licence and he is disqualified from driving.
Mr Baldrick's defence counsel Eoghan Devlin asked that he be granted bail and ordered to hand car keys to the PSNI, stating that the defendant had no other vehicle.
He said: “Just as Seamus Mallon said the Good Friday Agreement was Sunningdale for slow learners, I guess this is probably somewhere there in terms of the powers of the criminal courts. This court could easily form the view that this man was either so intransigent or so stupid, that bail conditions would have no effect upon him. It was a triumph of stupidity, the first drink driving matter, but we appear to be doing a lap of honour at this stage.
“Clearly the main concern here is reoffending in terms of this man driving. I’m going to suggest that you might consider admitting him to bail on the condition that he surrenders his vehicle keys to the police. He has no other vehicle and that would bring it to an end, much in the way that sometimes people surrender passports. That might give the court some form of assurance.”
Mr Eoghan said he accepted the judge may decide to jail Mr Baldrick if he pleaded or was convicted of driving while disqualified.
He said: “I accept that could be a possibility. He doesn’t have the worst record for that, in the way in which his ban came about is bordering on the surreal.”
Judge McIlhone said: “He drives up to a police station, walks into the police station and lies about it. He is a totally unsuitable candidate for bail. Bail is refused. Someone who is under a driving ban and drives to a police station clearly couldn’t care less about the law.”
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