Driver didn’t know he was already banned from road

A MAN who ignored his driving ban twice claimed he didn’t know that he was breaking the law.

Gustav Pompa was prosecuted for driving whilst disqualified and with no insurance on March 16 and again on October 5.

But the 33-year-old didn’t appear in court when the ban was imposed and said he wasn’t aware that he was doing anything wrong when he was pulled over by police.

He was first pulled over by officers in the Liversedge area on March 16 when a check on the Police National Computer revealed that he was a banned driver and had no policy of insurance.

Then on October 5 Pompa was stopped on Wakefield Road at Moldgreen shortly before 11pm when his driving offences were again discovered.

Father-of-three Pompa, who is banned from driving until February next year, also has a previous conviction for drink-driving from 2012.

His solicitor explained that he was not aware of his ban as he was disqualified in his absence by magistrates in February and fined £1,100.

Kirklees Magistrates’ Court was told that he was “under the impression that to be disqualified you have to appear at court” and he hadn’t done that.

Pompa, aided by a Polish interpreter, said to them: “I really didn’t know anything about the disqualification.

“I had no information whatsoever. I didn’t even know about the court hearing.”

Bench chairwoman Anthea Ainley told the car wash employee that the offences were serious.

She said: “The DVLA should have informed you of the fact that you were disqualified even if you thought that by not coming to court that you would not be disqualified. The situation is very serious. You had no insurance again and you’ve been sentenced for that in the past.

“This was not an emergency situation which got you behind the wheel. The only mitigation is the fact that you have dependants and no accidents have been caused.”

Pompa, of Portland Street in Wakefield, was sentenced to a community order with 150 hours of unpaid work.

He was banned from driving for a further 31 months and will have to pay £85 court costs and £85 victim surcharge.