A Rookley man caught driving without insurance told Magistrates he is ‘sorry’ before receiving a 28-day ban from getting behind the wheel.
The Isle of Wight Magistrates’ Court heard the case of 50-year-old Mark Gifford earlier this week (Tuesday), who used a motor vehicle on a road/public place without third-party insurance on 8th August last year.
Giles Fletcher, prosecuting, told the court how Gifford, of Hillcrest Road in Rookley, was travelling in a black Nissan Navara on Main Road, Arreton when Police happened to check the details of his car, finding he was uninsured.
It was then that the officers made contact with Gifford’s insurance company, which confirmed he did not hold valid insurance to be driving.
Tom Cooke, defending, told the court of the exceptional levels of hardship that face Gifford now, and at the date of the offence. Mr Cooke explained how Gifford’s parents, to whom he is the primary carer, are extremely unwell and live in a very remote setting that has no central heating and no connection to a main road.
The court heard how Gifford, who visits his elderly parents twice a day, owns his own pest control business, PestForce, making driving an indispensable part of the job, and without it, he risks losing everything.
In a letter to the court, the defendant said:
“I’m so sorry, its not like me at all.
Article continues below this advertisement “It just got above me, I am so sorry.
“It will never happen again.”
The Magistrates were assured that the defendant had contacted his insurance company regarding the renewal, and by doing so, he thought it had been completed.
Magistrates ordered Gifford to pay a fine of £957, as well as handing him 6 points on his licence and a 28-day disqualification.
A 28 day ban is NOT a deterrent!, it’s a joke.
So as long as you own a business the punishment is
weaker!
I agree it should be a set fine and ban regardless of who you are but that is one of the biggest fines I’ve seen and sounds like a honest mistake.
Obviously fined by ones earnings.
The only thing different to a worker and a person on
benefits who breaks the law.
The benefit claimer pays for their fine with benefit money
SO IT’S NO REAL DETERRENT!
You are so boring. Why don’t you have a day off
What on my pension rate
Lol
What do you mean Sausage, a day off? I and many others wish he would go, full time.
Well Actually I beg to differ here, If caught driving without insurance it is normally 6 points and now a £300 fine, however his fines are over £900 has also been given the 6 points and has actually been banned for a month, so in real terms it is a stiffer sentence than that most other offenders for the same offence receive.
Why make up excuses no matter what you broke the law so you had to deal with it?
Well said
Always the hard luck story when caught should have been banned for a year
That’s more like a proper fine.
At last someone who has been fined more than the insurance probably would have cost, that is an incentive to be insured.
Thought his punishment was a bit harsh, I have met this guy a few times when working in gardens and he is a hard working nice guy. Think this was a genuine mistake on his part, hope things work out ok for you mate.
There is no such thing as a genuine mistake, trying to
evade paying his fees.
We all have to pay such charges.
Have you never made a honest mistake, no because you’re perfect I’m sure
Of course, you are so bloody perfect.