Man handed four year sentence following high speed police chase in north Belfast

M & M NEWS SERVICES

A North Belfast man was handed a four year sentence today after he hit a car with a baby on board at high speed hurling vehicle onto its roof.

24 year-old Ciaran Ferguson, of Oldpark Road in the city, pleaded guilty to a total of 12 charges which included causing grievous bodily injury by dangerous driving and aggravated vehicle taking causing damage.

He further admitted offences of driving whilst disqualified, driving whilst unfit and having no insurance.

Prosecution barrister James Johnston told Belfast Crown Court that on the evening of July 3, 2018, Ferguson was the driver of a black Audi 1 car which had been stolen two days earlier.

After a tip-off from Ferguson's mother, police spotted the vehicle on the busy Crumlin Road in north Belfast and purusued the Audi which was travelling at speeds of up 89 mph in a 30 mph zone.

He said the car failed to stop for police, jumped a red light, clipped several cars before striking a Renault Megane car near the Ardoyne shops.

Mr Johnston told Judge Kevin Finnegan QC that the impact of the collision forced the Megane into a nearby property, destroying a wall, smashing windows and "narrowly missing a resident standing in the front garden''.

The Audi contuined at speed and struck another car carrying a man and a seven-month-old baby, "flipping the car onto its roof''.

"The wife of the man was travelling directly behind and thought her husband and child had been killed.'' Fortunately, said the prosecutor, the child suffered only bruising, while the driver of the Megane suffered serious injuries to his spleen and liver.

Added Mr Johston: "It was a miracle that people were not killed in this incident.''

Defence barrister Barry Gibson said: "It is fortunate for him that nobody was killed as a result of his driving and his behaviour that evening. He is very remoreful for what happened.''

Judge Finnegan told Ferguson that he would be spend two years in custody and two years on licence on his release from jail.

"You have good people standing by you like your family and your partner. When you get out of jail don't do any more damage to them,'' added the judge.