Mayor blasts ‘heartless’ conviction of pensioner

THE mayor of the West Midlands has blasted the “heartless and inhumane” decision to convict a housebound 90-year-old man – who cares for his sick wife – for an “honest mistake” involving his car insurance.

The pensioner faced court action over unpaid car insurance, even after he explained he had not seen warning letters to declare his vehicle off the road.

The man from Walsall sent a letter to the court explaining what had happened.

He told how he cared for his 88-year-wife who has advanced dementia, and how she might have unknowingly misplaced the letters.

He gave up driving due to his lack of mobility and his car had been left in the garage ever since. The pensioner, who has not been named, still ended up being convicted.

West Midlands mayor Andy Street has been left infuriated by the case after details emerged.

He believes the letter may not have even been read by magistrates as the case would likely have been waved through the Single Justice Procedure (SJP), which aims to process low-level offences quickly to free-up court time.

Mr Street was so angered by the case he is calling for a shakeup for the SJP system as he fears the same thing could be happening to other people who have simply made honest mistakes.

The mayor insisted this was a case that could easily have been dealt with by way of a fine.

The pensioner was instead given a three-month conditional discharge and made to pay £50 in costs following a guilty plea.

Mr Street said: “A 90-year-old Walsall pensioner who hasn’t driven in a year, is housebound, cares for his dementia-suffering wife and has no internet access, has been prosecuted for not insuring his car. Anyone reading that letter would surely conclude some humanity needs to be shown and an alternative, out-ofcourt, resolution found.

“Instead, through the Single Justice Procedure, it is highly likely the letter went unread and he was prosecuted. That can’t be right.

“So Walsall MP Eddie Hughes and I have written to justice secretary Alex Chalk to ask him to review the SJP.

“We understand the need for quick and effective prosecutions, but there must be a way for more care and attention to be given to cases to avoid such heartless and inhumane prosecutions.”

He hasn’t driven in a year, is housebound, cares for his dementia-suffering wife and has no internet access... Andy Street