Belfast: Man charged after car crashes into police station

Ladas Drive was one of the streets closed during the alert

A man has been charged with a number of offences after a car crashed into the wall of a police station in east Belfast.

The crash happened at Alexander Road, outside Castlereagh Police Station, in the early hours of Monday morning.

It sparked a security alert and a 49-year-old man was detained at the scene.

He has been charged with attempted criminal damage, criminal damage, driving without due care and failing to provide a specimen while driving unfit.

He has also been charged with possessing an offensive weapon in a public place.

The man will appear at Belfast Magistrates' Court on Friday 26 May.

Robotic bomb detection equipment was deployed during the operation

Police evacuated a number of homes in the area while Army technical officers examined the car.

Roads between Orangefield Crescent and Ladas Drive, and at Bellsbridge roundabout on the Cregagh Road were closed for a time.

Nothing untoward was found and residents were allowed back home.

Only one vehicle was involved in the crash.

Several police vehicles were sent to the scene