Court told Thomas Maughan allegedly reversed over three children with the front wheel ending up on top of a young boy
A man was reportedly found by police in a taxi attempting to flee the scene of a collision where he had allegedly reversed over three children in a car in West Belfast.
Thomas Maughan, 37, of Black Ridge Gardens, appeared at Belfast Magistrates Court via video link from custody on Tuesday, August 26, where he faced five charges following an incident on Sunday, August 24, when three children were injured in a collision on Black Ridge View.
These include causing grievous bodily harm, driving with excess alcohol and failing to remain at the scene of a collision.
The court heard that three children, two girls and a boy, were playing on a pavement with chalk when Maughan entered a vehicle and reversed over the top of the children, with the front wheel ending up on top of the boy.
Maughan is then alleged to have reversed the vehicle off of the child before fleeing from it and entering a property on Black Ridge View. “Harrowing CCTV footage” reportedly shows the entire incident.
The emergency services attended the scene and provided treatment to the children who were suspected of having serious injuries. The collision resulted in one of the children suffering a fractured pelvis.
The court heard that when police arrived at the scene, they attended Maughan’s parents’ address and attempted to locate him, but could not, and he was later found in a taxi attempting to flee the scene. He was then found to have had a .74 alcohol reading.
It was also alleged that he had been seen jumping over a back garden fence as he fled from the collision.
Opposing bail for Maughan, the prosecution said that he had 25 previous convictions, which include driving and drunk driving offences, with him being described as a “risk to the public” who had a “complete disregard for public safety”.
When requesting bail for Maughan, his representative acknowledged the “awful” CCTV footage of the incident, but said that his client could not have seen the children as the boy was lying on the floor of the pavement with the two girls drawing chalk around him.
He also said that there was no issue with Maughan in the community as his family live in the area and had spoken with the injured children’s family to resolve the matter.
Maughan was remanded in custody with the Judge saying that he was a “risk to the public” who had prioritised looking after himself in fleeing the scene rather than checking on the three injured children and is due to appear in court again on September 23.
For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.
#Man #accused #reversing #children #West #Belfast #fled #scene #taxi #court #hears
