A 27-year-old man from Dungannon has been banned from driving for 18 months and fined after a dangerous driving incident in Cookstown.

Hristo Dzhamov, of Belvedere Park, admitted a charge of dangerous driving and a further offence of failing to display a front registration plate at Dungannon Magistrates Court.

Police received reports on 25 October 2025 of a car being driven with excessive engine revving and at high speed on the Dungannon Road. Witnesses said the vehicle was weaving onto the hard shoulder and had no front number plate.

Dzhamov increased speed, lost control, collided with an oncoming vehicle, and crashed into a grass verge. Observers reported seeing him laughing immediately afterwards. One witness believed the speed was so high that they assumed it was a police pursuit.

A defence barrister conceded the driving was poor and stated the collision happened because Dzhamov misread the situation.

District Judge Francis Rafferty rejected the account, telling Dzhamov he had misread nothing and knew what he was doing. The judge described the driving as appalling and said it was a miracle no one was seriously injured.

Dzhamov was fined a total of £400 and disqualified from driving for 18 months.