Court pities driver who didn't know about ban

A motorist oblivious to being banned paid heavily for driving by having his new car permanently confiscated and forking out for months of invalid insurance.

Carl Cooper, 34, did not know he was disqualified when caught at the wheel of his newly-bought Vauxhall Combo in Stockton Road, Sunderland, on Tuesday, July 21.

Cooper, of Egerton Street, Sunderland, had been banned for six months just weeks earlier by a court in his absence under the totting up process,.

But his landlord would not let him into his rented home, leaving him homeless and not receiving court letters confirming his disqualification.

Magistrates in South Tyneside, who had the power to ban him for a further six months, took pity after hearing he had got his life back together.

They handed factory worker Cooper a new three-week disqualification, meaning he can be back on the roads days before Christmas.

Prosecutor Lesley Burgess said: “Mr Bryant was seen driving a vehicle by police in the early hours of the morning. They do checks and stop him which show that he is banned. It would appear that he was disqualified at court in Gateshead.

“He has one previous driving while disqualified, in 2008, due to driving with excess alcohol in 2007.”

Gerry Armstrong, defending, said: “He lived from his home to a former partner’s home. He went to get his stuff, but his landlord would not let him. He became homeless.

“What he wasn’t aware of the correspondence about his offence, it had gone to his former accommodation.”

Cooper, who pleaded guilty to driving while banned and driving without insurance, was also fined £40 with £85 costs.