Couldn't afford insurance

A 36-year-old man who drove when he was unable to afford insurance was banned from driving for nine months last Thursday at Banbridge Magistrates Court.

Brendan Douglas, Beech Meadows, Waringstown, was also fined £250 and ordered to pay a £15 offender’s levy for not having insurance on February 22 last year.

The court heard that police stopped the defendant who was driving in Main Street, Gilford.It later transpired there was no insurance in place on the date he was stopped.

A solicitor said Douglas at the time could not afford insurance. He added that his client admitted it was a chance he should not have taken and was caught.

District Judge, Mr Paul Copeland, said this was the defendant’s third conviction for driving without insurance in the past 18 months and a disqualification was inevitable.