A Donaghcloney man who went on a driving ‘rampage’ that left two police officers with injuries has been jailed for nine months.
The case of Colin Stephen Matchett, of Laurelvale Grove, was heard at Craigavon Magistrates’ Court on Friday.
The 34-year-old, who had served the equivalent of a six month sentence on remand, was charged with a litany of driving offences: dangerous driving; failing to stop at a damage-only accident; driving while disqualified; using a vehicle without insurance; failing to remain at a damage-only accident; failing to stop for police; failing to remain at an injury-only accident; failing to stop when an accident occurred causing injury; failing to report an injury-accident; and failing to report a damage-only accident.
The court was told that on October 17, 2024, police were on patrol on the Lurgan Road in Moira when they observed a vehicle, identifying the driver as Matchett, whom they knew to be a disqualified driver.
Blue lights were activated to signal the vehicle to stop, which it failed to do.
In an attempt to make off from the scene, the vehicle collided with the front of the police vehicle.
Police lost sight of the vehicle until a few minutes later, when officers witnessed it weaving in and out of traffic on the Belfast Road in Dollingstown.
The vehicle then came to a stop and blocked traffic, before police pulled alongside it again.
Matchett then immediately reversed the vehicle and crashed into a van behind him.
He then accelerated forward at speed and collided with the police vehicle, pushing it into the path of another vehicle, causing it so much damage that it was undriveable.
Matchett then drove along the pavement at speed towards Lurgan.
Over the next two days, police made attempts to locate and arrest Matchett, who did not make his whereabouts known.
On October 19, Matchett was located and arrested.
Due to this incident, the officers were injured and were absent from work.
One officer had pain in his upper arm, back and headaches. The other officer had pain in his left knee and headaches.
On hearing the facts, District Judge Michael Ranaghan noted that the offences occurred eight days after Matchett was handed a suspended sentence.
Speaking on Matchett’s behalf, his defence solicitor admitted that his client put people at risk as, “there’s no other way to describe this driving other than madness”.
However, he stated that Matchett had panicked as he had been “holding onto a job by the skin of his teeth” and feared losing his job if he didn’t make it into work.
While conceding that the facts in the case are “atrocious” and that multiple crashes and injuries were caused, he asked for credit for Matchett’s guilty pleas and said that Matchett was “contrite” and asked him to apologise to the court and police on his behalf.
District Judge Ranaghan described the incident as a “particularly bad set of driving”.
He commented: “Given the rampage that Mr Matchett was on, panic, I don’t think, is enough of an excuse to cover what this man has done. His appalling driving has resulted in injury to police as well.”
On sentencing, Judge Ranaghan activated the outstanding suspended sentence and imposed a total jail term of nine months in custody.
He also disqualified Matchett from driving for seven years and ordered an immediate warrant for a fine of £200, with the £15 offender levy.
