A man from Lithuania who allegedly committed driving offences in Portadown while here on holiday has been released on bail.
Audris Gibronas (36), from Panevezys, is charged with causing grievous bodily injury by careless driving in the Northway area on December 23 last year.
He is also charged with driving whilst disqualified and using a vehicle without insurance.
He appeared at court via video link from prison where he had been on remand.
He had the assistance of an interpreter at court.
The court was told police spotted a Mercedes van being driven on December 23 last year. The defendant was a disqualified driver and officers followed the van.
An officer said the van collided “head-on” with a Range Rover Discovery, causing “significant damage” to both vehicles and both drivers were taken to hospital with “serous injuries”.
The court was told that just days earlier defendant had been banned from driving on Saturday December 20 2025 after driving with excess alcohol on December 19.
The officer said the defendant was in Northern Ireland on holiday at the time of the driving incidents last December.
A defence lawyer said footage of the December 23 incident showed the van “inexplicably veering” towards oncoming traffic.
He said there was a “mechanical defect” and there was “no suggestion” of alchol.
The defendant was in custody since December but a bail address is available in Hull in England, the court was told.
The lawyer said in Lithuania it is the vehicle which is insured and not the individual and the defendant thought that the van was insured and he thought that the driving ban had lapsed.
District Judge Michael Ranaghan said the defendant had served the equivalent of ten months sentence on remand.
Bail in the sum of £300 was granted to an address suitable to police; he is not to possess or consume alcohol; and he has to surrender his pasport.
He is not to drive or be the front seat passenger in any vehicle.
The case was sent to Craigavon Crown Court for arraignment on September 10.
