‘Vulnerable’ Guy Martin cleared over fake Irish driving licence

MOTORCYCLE racer-turned-television presenter Guy Martin will no longer face charges for possessing a fake driving licence after a court heard that his autism made him “vulnerable enough for others to see him as an easy target”.

Martin, 38, was accused of possessing a fake Irish licence and using it to alter his genuine UK licence to allow him to drive HGVS. But the charges were dropped on Christmas Eve after a court heard the former Isle of Man TT rider does not always apply common sense and may have been taken in because he was vulnerable.

The case had hung over the Speed with Guy Martin star for over a year and he was scheduled to face a trial at Lincoln Crown Court on Jan 6.

However, after hearing psychiatric evidence, the Crown Prosecution Service offered no evidence and he was formally acquitted.

Martin, of Barnetby, Lincs, had denied possession of a document with intent to deceive between Dec 4 2017 and May 15 2018 relating to “a document so closely resembling an Irish driving licence as to be calculated to deceive”.

He also denied that between March 1 and 15 May 15 2018 he made a false statement by claiming he was the holder of an Irish driving licence entitling him to drive certain categories of vehicles for the purpose of obtaining a British licence to drive some categories of vehicles.

Martin, right, had always said that he believed he passed a test while working in Northern Ireland and subsequently received a licence that he believed was genuine.

Judge Simon Hirst, sitting at Lincoln Crown Court, said “There have been some medical reports submitted. The prosecution accept that it is conceivable that Mr Martin did think this was a genuine licence. On the

Crown offering no evidence I therefore enter not guilty verdicts in respect of both matters in respect of Mr Guy Martin.” Michael Cranmer-brown, explaining the decision not to proceed, said that psychiatrists who examined Martin on behalf of the defence and the prosecution both came to the same conclusion.

He said “There have been two psychiatrists who have seen Mr Martin. The first, instructed by the defence and agreed by the prosecution, said that he does not always apply what others may refer to as common sense. He has a vulnerability to take what people say at face value.”

Mr Cranmer-brown said that Martin’s autism also made him “vulnerable enough for others to see him as an easy target”. He added “It may well be that he was taken in by somebody. We therefore accept that he didn’t possess that document with intent to deceive.”

Martin competed in the Isle of Man TT races, Ulster Grand Prix races and British superbikes before working for the BBC and Channel 4.