Zimbabwean national with Muff address get fine and driving ban

A Zimbabwean national has been fined £1300 and disqualified for three years after he was involved in a police chase through the streets of Derry in the early hours on Saturday morning.
Bikani Sikwela (29) whose address was given as Muff in County Donegal admitted a series of driving offences including dangerous driving and drink driving that occurred on December 1 when he appeared at Derry Magistrate’s Court today.
The court was told that around 4 a.m. police observed a car travelling along the Buncrana Road towards the roundabout and it was weaving in and out of the lanes.
The car went through the roundabout and continued along the Strand Road still weaving between lanes.
Police turned on their lights and sirens and signalled for the car to stop but it didn’t.
Eventually police drew alongside the vehicle and signalled for the driver to pull over which he did.
However, as police alighted from their vehicle he drove off again and police pursued him on to the Northland Road.
The car went through a red light, overtook another car at lights and undertook a car as well before the driver abandoned it on the wrong side of the road and ran away.
Police saw him entering a gate in Eden Terrace and located Sikwela in a garden. A breath test revealed he was almost three times the legal limit.
Sikwela told police he thought his driving was reckless but not dangerous and admitted breaking the lights and stopping on the wrong side of the road.
District Judge Barney McElholm  imposed fines totalling £1300 and disqualified the defendant for three years.
He also imposed an immediate warrant.