Millionaire who crashed Ferrari while drink driving faces hefty bill after case dismissed

Not only does Christopher David Walsh face the prospect of a legal bill akin to the price of the Ferrari he ruined, the 58-year-old is also facing a police investigation into allegations that he perjured himself in the witness box under oath as he tried to clear his name.

It’s almost seven years since property developer Walsh lost control of his £150,000 Ferrari California T on the Belfast Road in Holywood, crashing into two parked cars and then fleeing the scene, knowing he was well over the limit.

Dismissing his appeal on Monday at Belfast County Appeal Court, Judge Richard Greene QC labelled Walsh as a “completely incredible witness” whose story “I do not believe a word of”.

Walsh had sought to have the case dismissed by way of an abuse of process, arguing that the prosecution lawyer and police had acted maliciously and in bad faith but just like Walsh’s appeal, Judge Greene dismissed that out of hand, declaring there was “absolutely no merit” in it and “I reject completely any allegations of impropriety on the part of the prosecution”.

Accordingly, Walsh was convicted AGAIN of driving with excess alcohol, careless driving, failing to stop at the scene of an accident and failing to remain at the scene of an accident in September 2015.

Arrested for driving whilst unfit and taken to Bangor station, the court heard that Walsh initially refused to give an evidential sample until he spoke to a solicitor but that when he did, he was found to be more than twice the legal limit.

In 2017, Walsh ran a so-called hip flask defence, claiming he had consumed the alcohol AFTER the accident.