A 22-year-old man who wrote off his brother’s red Mercedes car had to pay him €3,000 in compensation.
Philip McDermott took his brother’s car without his permission after he had been drinking on New year’s eve, 2018.
McDermott crashed the car at Porthall in Lifford a short time later at 3.45am.
McDermott appeared at Letterkenny District where Gardai revealed the car had been a “write-off” following the crash.
Gardai arrived at the scene and found McDermott, of Glenbank Park, Derry, saying “I’m dead, I’d dead, he’s going to kill me.”
McDermott was arrested and failed a breath test which showed a reading of 49mgs of alcohol.
His solicitor said his client had been through a tough time and a medical report was handed into Judge Paul Kelly who asked the young man how he was now?
The accused was fined €250 and banned from driving for two years.