Alleged thief caused passenger to suffer seizure by crashing scooter into bus, court told

An alleged thief broke his arm by crashing a stolen moped into a bus in west Belfast, the High Court heard today.

Tiernan Donnelly, 25, is accused of causing the collision last month which left the Translink driver needing treatment for shock and a passenger suffering a seizure.

A Crown lawyer said: “It’s quite frankly a miracle that no-one was killed.”

Donnelly, of Henderson Avenue in the city, is charged with a series of offences, including aggravated vehicle taking causing damage and injury, driving dangerously and while disqualified, going equipped for theft, and failing to stop or remain at the scene of an accident.

His application for bail was refused.

Prosecution counsel claimed he was one of two men who arrived on a motorbike and stole a SYM scooter from an address in Belfast on April 9.

Police tried to stop the pair after spotting them travelling in tandem later that morning, but they mounted footpaths to escape.

At one point the rider of the moped struck a car, dropping screwdrivers and goggles, but got back on and headed from the Glenside Road to the Upper Springfield Road.

Donnelly was in charge of the scooter when it then crashed into the side of a Translink bus, according to the prosecutor.

“The bus driver was treated for shock, and a passenger had a seizure,” she said.

Opposing Donnelly’s bid to be released from custody, counsel claimed it would put members of the public at risk.

Defence barrister Barry Gibson acknowledged his client was injured in the bus collision.

“He sustained a bad fracture to one of his arms and had to have 15-20 staples inserted,” Mr Gibson disclosed.

Denying the application, Lord Justice Treacy said: “I don’t see on what basis the court could properly release Mr Donnelly on bail.”

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