Man banned from driving ...then leaves court in his car

Stunned magistrates watched in disbelief as a man they had banned from driving got into his car and sped off just minutes after the hearing.

George Fothergill, 60, had been disqualified for 12 months following a number of traffic offences when he ignored the ban.

At a subsequent court case he initially denied driving while disqualified – claiming someone else had been at the wheel.

But since the magistrates had seen him in his car from the window of their retiring room at Mansfield Magistrates Court, this defence was instantly branded a lie.

At a hearing on thursday, Michael treharne, prosecuting, said that Fothergill – who was previously banned from driving in 2009 – was spotted jumping into his car after the earlier hearing on July 19.

‘the magistrates were taken aback when they went into the retiring room which overlooks the car park,’ he said. ‘they saw

‘This is idiocy at its best’

the defendant go to the side of his car and speak on a phone.

‘Having made the phone call, they were surprised to see him get into the car and drive off fairly rapidly. It was as plain as day.’ Lucy Jones, defending, added: ‘this is idiocy at its best.’

Jailing Fothergill for ten weeks, district judge Andrew Meachin said: ‘this was absolutely flagrant. He walked out of court and got into his car. He had been disqualified literally minutes before.

‘Your defence was that someone else was driving, which was a lie.’

Fothergill, from Stoke- on-trent, was ordered to pay a £115 victim surcharge, and banned for 57 weeks.