A woman who had “little recollection” of a near head-on collision after veering on the road has been handed a 12 month disqualification.
Court heard that the 39-year-old had previously been handed a four year ban for a drink driving offence back in December, of last year.
Julja Kostina, of Summerhill Brae in Banbridge, appeared for sentencing on failing to report, failing to remain, failing to stop and driving without due care or attention at Armagh Magistrates’, sitting at Newry, on Tuesday.
Prosecution outlined that at 5.30pm on September 13, of last year, police received a report of a hit and run incident which had occurred one hour earlier on the Scarva Road, Tandragee.
The injured party outlined that they had been travelling on the road when another vehicle veered into their path and claimed they had to take evasive action to prevent a head-on collision.
Police later identified the defendant as the driver of the other vehicle, which was noted to have damage to its driver side.
Upon looking at Kostina’s record, District Judge Eamonn King commented: “On December 18, of 2019, she was disqualified for four years for an offence of drink driving for offences of July 7.
“She should not have been driving anyway.”
Defence solicitor Ciaran Downey stated: “You will also note that on January 9, of this year, she was given a conditional discharge for a matter and a further two year disqualification.
“She is originally a Lithuanian national, she has been here over a decade. For the majority of that decade, she was steadily employed as a call centre operative.”
He continued: “She settled here, she married here, she had children here. Essentially, it is the break down of that relationship which has led her to have a problem with alcohol.
“The wheels have come off. With this offence, she has little recollection of the incident as evident in her interview with police and that is why the matter was initially going to be contested.”
District Judge King disqualified Kostina for 12 months and ordered that she pay a fine of £200, along with the offender’s levy of £15.
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