Fined £300, transport minister who drove with no insurance
TRANSPORT Minister Humza Yousaf has been fined £300 and given six penalty points for driving without insurance.
In December, the Nationalist MSP was caught by police on the A835 near Dingwall, Ross-shire, as officers carried out random checks.
The minister, travelling to a St Andrew’s Day dinner in Ullapool, discovered he was not legally allowed to be at the wheel of the car, which was owned by his colleague in the passenger seat.
But 31-year-old Mr Yousaf has now managed to avoid further embarrassment by accepting a non-court disposal, meaning he did not have to appear in front of a judge.
Admitting the offence, the Transport Minister called it ‘an honest mistake’ and said it was the result of an mix-up in the wake of a split from his wife.
The case could have seen him in court for what would have been a humiliating appearance for the politician, who is already bearing the brunt of criticism over ScotRail’s poor performance.
But instead, the MSP for Glasgow Pollok was issued with a ‘direct measure’ or non-court disposal, generally used for less serious cases where prosecution is not deemed to be in the public interest.
Direct measures can be used in cases when prosecutors think the cost of a trial would be prohibitively high in comparison to any fine likely to be issued as the result of a guilty finding.
Crucially, direct measures do not result in a criminal conviction and the individual is spared a court appearance.
The maximum penalty for driving without insurance in UK law is a disqualification from driving and an unlimited fine. In some cases police even have the power to seize and destroy the car that was driven illegally.
A £300 fine and six penalty licence points are the minimum punishment under UK law, which is often given to first-time offenders. Mr Yousaf’s direct measure was brokered through his solicitor with the fiscal’s office in Inverness. The case was subsequently dealt with by letter via Glasgow Sheriff Court.
The Transport Minister commented: ‘I said at the time this happened that I would not contest any penalty imposed and I totally accept the decision that has now been made.
‘I have paid the fine and told my insurance company about the penalty points which have been added to my licence.
‘This was an honest mistake on my part and the result of particular personal circumstances during my separation. But that doesn’t alter the fact that I have to pay the penalty. I hope this can act as a warning to others.’
Speaking at the time of the incident, Mr Yousaf said he had believed he was driving with fully comprehensive insurance – meaning he could drive any vehicle with the owner’s permission.
But after the split with his partner he failed to make himself the primary policy holder, so he did not enjoy this privilege. Had he been involved in a crash, there would have been no insurance backer to cover either party’s vehicle damage or injury claims.
When the gaffe came to light, Mr Yousaf had endured months of criticism for his work as Transport Minister, particularly over delays on ScotRail trains. Ministers have discussed the possibility of revoking the £7billion contract with Abellio, which operates the rail franchise, and Mr Yousaf himself has faced calls to resign.
A Crown Office spokesman said: ‘The procurator fiscal at Inverness received a report concerning a 31-year-old male in connection with an alleged incident on December 2, 2016. After full and careful consideration of all facts and circumstances, the case was dealt with by way of an offer of an alternative to prosecution.’
‘I hope this can be a warning to others’