Three year drive ban imposed on Portuguese man

A dangerous '˜drink driver' who led police in a high speed chase through Antrim town was banned for three years today (Tuesday) and told he had 'ran out of road.'

Ordering Jose Pocarraro Sousa to complete 12 months probation and 100 hours on Community Service, District Judge Peter King told the Portuguese national: “It’s quite clear that you are a menace on the road and a danger to other road users.”

“In view of your appalling driving record you have ran out of road,” declared the judge at Antrim Magistrates Court.

Sousa (age unknown), from Greenmount Terrace in Ballymena, had earlier pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, driving without insurance, failing to stop for police, failing to provide a specimen of breath, drink driving and resisting police on 16 October last year.

A prosecuting lawyer told the court how police spotted a Toyota on Fountain Hill in Antrim making ‘several erratic swerves across the white line’ before pulling into a KFC car park through an opening marked ‘no entrance’.

Officers asked the driver to get out but the car sped off, ignored all the road signs during a pursuit at speeds ‘in excess of 60 mph’ before it eventually came to a stop on the Kilbegs Road.

Sousa got out but refused to comply with officers’ instructions and was aggressive towards them, refusing to provide any details or breath specimen but later pleaded guilty to all counts.

Defence barrister Neil Moore conceded there was a ‘plethora of aggravating features’ in the case and that Sousa was ‘coming close to if not crossing the line for custody.’

Imposing the combination order Judge King warned Sousa that if he reoffended or breached the order he would send him to prison.

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