Community order for serial driving offender, 77
BANNED PENSIONER BLAMED LACK OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT AFTER BEING CAUGHT AGAIN
A pensioner with a horrendous record of driving offences was caught behind the wheel again.
James Radcliffe has numerous convictions for drink-driving and driving whilst disqualified, but he flouted the law again – and blamed a lack of public transport reaching his isolated home.
The 77-year-old – who once used flogging eggs from his 50 hens as an excuse for ignoring a driving ban – appeared before Kirklees Magistrates’ Court.
He is barred from the road for five years but used his son’s van while he was working away.
The OAP, of Tommy Lane in Linthwaite, pleaded guilty to driving whilst disqualified.
He was caught on John William Street in Huddersfield town centre on December 19.
Police had received intelligence he was driving the Vauxhall Combo van despite being banned.
They followed him to St Peter’s Street where
Radcliffe pulled the vehicle over and it was seized.
In March 2018 magistrates banned him from driving for five years after racking up his third drink-driving conviction.
Then he was caught driving just four months into a ban by going home to feed his hens and then driving to the pub to sell their eggs.
The Huddersfield court was told Radcliffe had 33 convictions which started in 1983 with failing to provide a specimen of breath for analysis.
He was sentenced to a nine week suspended jail term with a five year driving ban.
Radcliffe was ordered to take an extended retest before he could drive again.
Steven Higgins, mitigating, explained that his client lives up a steep hill in an area of Linthwaite known as The Heights. He said: “Mr Radcliffe is 77 and his mobility isn’t brilliant.
“A couple of years ago he ruptured his Achilles
tendon and struggles to walk any distance.
“He lives in a property which isn’t serviced by public transport. He finds himself stuck in the property and isolated.
“The vehicle available to him was bought for his son who was away. He’s succumbed to temptation and used that vehicle and driven into town to get some Christmas shopping.
“Mr Radcliffe is acutely aware of the position in which he finds himself. For a man of his age he’s been extremely stupid.”
Radcliffe was sentenced to a community order as a direct alternative to custody.
The order includes 10 rehabilitation activity days aimed at addressing his offending behaviour.
Radcliffe was banned from driving for a further 45 months. He will have to pay £85 court costs and £90 victim surcharge.