A consultant psychiatrist has appeared during a special court sitting accused of causing a serious four-vehicle pile-up on the M1 motorway which left a man seriously injured.
Enyinnaya Ezema (53) whose address was given as Highfield Court, Omagh but also with a residence in Sligo, is charged with causing grievous bodily injury both by careless and dangerous driving on January 23.
A detective constable aware of the facts of the case told Belfast Magistrates’ Court the charge could be connected.
He explained Ezema was behind the wheel of an Audi which drove into a Peugeot, and it in turn was propelled into a Dacia, which collided with a Mercedes.
The driver of the Peugeot, a 21-year-old male, sustained very serious injuries and remains in a critical condition in Intensive Care.
“He has a fracture to his neck and the rear of his skull and remains sedated and ventilated,” said the detective.
All persons involved were taken to the Royal Victoria Hospital for treatment including Ezema, where he was advised by police he would be spoken to at a later point.
However, he discharged himself and made his way to Belfast International Airport where he hired a car.
Police managed to make contact and told Ezema to present at Antrim PSNI Station where he was arrested.
During interview he accepted being the driver of the Audi which collided with the Peugeot, stressing he tended to the victim by removing his seatbelt, ensuring his airway was clear and remaining under paramedics arrived.
Although it was accepted Ezema has no previous convictions, the detective pointed to a risk of flight.
Objecting to bail he said, “The defendant discharged himself from hospital and took a taxi to the airport, despite being aware police wanted to speak to him. In interview he stated on several occasions of his intention to return to his Sligo home.”
Mostly troubling however, said the detective: “We are gravely alarmed at comments the defendant made. He couldn’t understand why he was detained in custody as the injured party had not died.”
A defence barrister robustly challenged the decision not to release Ezema on bail at the PSNI Station, instead of bringing him overnight to court, and disputed that police had told him they wished to speak with him.
Setting out how Ezema has had Irish Citizenship since 2002 and qualified as psychiatrist in 2011, the defence said, “My client and his family expresses much concern for the injured party, whom he tended to as the medical professional at the scene.”
It was stressed Ezema was fully compliant and cooperative with police and after being charged was told to appear before Belfast Magistrates Court at a later date, “Then for some reason a decision was made to bring him to court overnight and oppose bail. An egregious wrong has been done to the defendant and there needs to be an investigation.”
The defence said his client had until recently worked as a consultant psychiatrist in Antrim Area Hospital but has since transferred to Omagh, residing in accommodation provided by the Western Health and Social Care Trust.
“That is a suitable address for release on bail and any other conditions would be agreed,” he concluded.
However the detective advised the owner of the accommodation had been spoke to and while they initially had no issue with Ezema residing there on bail, they later changed their mind and the address was withdrawn,
After consideration District Judge Rosalie Prytherch decided to grant bail which was set at £950 and ordered him to reside at an address approved by police.
He is also to surrender his passport and report weekly to Omagh PSNI station.
The case will return to court on February 7.
