Mobile phone driver banned

A driver who discovered he was not insured when he was stopped by police for using his mobile phone behind the wheel has been disqualified from driving for two months. Kenneth Paul McPherson, 37, of 69 Meadows Avenue, Campbeltown, appeared before Margaret McDowall at Campbeltown’s Justice of the Peace Court and pleaded guilty to using a vehicle with no insurance policy in place and another of driving while using a hand-held mobile phone, at 6.45pm on Kinloch Road, Campbeltown, on March 24 this year. After he was stopped by police officers, checks revealed that although he thought he was insured, the policy was invalid. His defence solicitor Christian Kane said that using his phone was an error but on the face of the information on his insurance certificate, he believed he was insured, and it was only after contacting the insurance provider it was discovered he was not covered. Mr Kane said: ‘This is not a case of willful flaunting of the law.’ He said instead that it was ‘misinterpretation’ of the insurance policy. McPherson, who had nine points on his licence at the time of the offences, was given six points for the mobile phone offence and a further six for not having valid insurance, bringing his total points to 21. Banning him from holding or obtaining a driving licence for two months, Mrs McDowall said: ‘You may feel this is very harsh but I am being very lenient.’ She said she had a ‘great deal of empathy’ for the fact he believed he was insured and told him she had imposed the minimum possible number of points for the offences.