Banned, OAP who drove for 45 years with fake licence
A PeNSIONer who drove for at least 45 years using a fake licence has been banned from the roads and fined £750.
Mary Burke, 71, who has never taken a driving test, was finally caught after her Mercedes was pulled over.
Burke, who lives on a travellers’ caravan site in Dumbarton, started using a false document 25 years ago, although it is thought she had been driving since the 1970s.
She was caught speeding in 2002 but her fake licence was not spotted. She handed it in to a sheriff clerk’s office to be endorsed with penalty points and got it back.
Police realised she was driving with no licence during a traffic stop in November.
Burke appeared at Dumbarton Sheriff Court where she was banned for a year and hit with a fine. She had earlier admitted driving without a licence and having a false driving licence.
Prosecutor David McDonald said she handed over a document she claimed was her licence but a database check found she had only ever held a provisional permit, which does not require a driving test.
Mr McDonald said: ‘A further check found she had an expired provisional licence and no proper licence. A DVLA review revealed her document was fraudulent. She was cautioned and charged.’
Defence lawyer Virgil Crawford said Burke had recently been diagnosed with cancer and had no intention of getting behind the wheel again.
he added: ‘She accepts she has been driving for some time, even before
‘Document was fraudulent’
her children were born, without a licence.
‘It seemed to be accepted that she did have a licence but clearly she did not.’
Sheriff William Gallagher told Burke: ‘You had in your possession a document which was false so you could flaunt road traffic regulations.
‘The law is there so everybody is protected in terms of experience and that is why we have them. It is not for you to say it doesn’t matter and I will just drive anyway.
‘I will bring this matter to a head today by way of fine and disqualification.’
Burke refused to comment.