Saliva on car airbag leads to driving conviction

A disqualified driver who ran away from a crash scene was jailed for six months after saliva on the vehicle`s airbag was traced to him. Liam Ulla was being pursued by Dorset Police officers through Bournemouth in his black Audi A5 when it was involved in a collision with four other vehicles. The 23-year-old businessman fled from the car but his saliva was discovered on the airbag. And without the forensic evidence, the prosecution may not have gone ahead, Bournemouth Crown Court was told. Ulla pulled away after officers, aware that he was disqualified from driving, signalled for him to stop last November 5. Prosecutor Kerry Maylin said when officers found Ulla’s Audi it was “facing into the wall with severe front end damage”. The court heard four vehicles were involved in the crash. One, a Renault Clio, was badly damaged and its driver, Thomas Robley, sustained head injuries. In mitigation, Richard Middleton said his client was “remorseful” and was “running four successful small businesses locally”, and that a lengthy driving ban would affect his ten or so employees. “He knows he has done wrong, he would do anything to turn the clock back if he could,” said Mr Middleton. Ulla, from Bournemouth, had already been disqualified for 18 months for drink driving. He admitted driving without due care and attention, failing to stop and driving while disqualified. Judge Peter Johnson issued a six-month jail term. In addition, Ulla was also handed a further three-year ban.