A man who was caught with around £400,000 of allegedly criminal cash as he drove towards the border at 100mph was “acting under duress,” a court has heard.
Newry Magistrates Court heard that while a defence solicitor for Eoin Morrow told police he was “acting under duress”, the 44-year-old “didn’t speak” during police interviews, including when he was asked to elaborate.
Appearing at court by videolink from police custody Morrow confirmed that he understood the five charges against him, all alleged to have been committed on September 16.
Morrow, of no fixed abode, is charged with dangerous driving, failing to stop for police, entering an arrangement to acquire criminal property, concealing and possessing criminal property, namely £400,000 in cash.
Police described that just before 5.30pm on Monday, police tried to stop a black Audi on the A1 but the car “immediately sped off” and was weaving in an out of the heavy rush hour traffic, “forcing motorists to take evasive action”.
At one point, the pursuit reached speeds of 120 mph whole at another, while Morrow was driving at 90 mph, he had one hand on the steering wheel while the other threw a mobile phone out of the window.
With the Audi speeding towards the border, the pursuit only came to an end when three police vehicles performed a “boxing in” movement.
Police were able to retrieve the mobile phone thrown from the car along with another phone from inside the Audi and the court heard how police also retrieved several bags stuffed with Bank of England notes from the vehicle.
Police estimated it was “in the upper echelons” of around £400,000.
Arrested and interviewed Morrow “did not speak” but his solicitor claimed he was “acting under duress,” an issue which Morrow continued to remain silent including when officers put to him that “the police could have helped him if he had stopped”.
As there was no application for bail, District Judge Eamon King remanded Morrow into custody and adjourned the case to October 16.