An Armagh man who drove without insurance handed police an expired Republic of Ireland driving licence when stopped.
Noel Douglas, of St Patrick’s Park, pleaded guilty to driving without a licence or insurance at the city’s Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday.
Court heard that on January 31 at around 2.55pm police stopped the 64-year-old on Banbrook Hill, Armagh, after the Vauxhall Corsa he was driving was flagged as being uninsured.
Officers spoke to the defendant who handed them an expired Republic of Ireland driving licence.
Further checks with Axa insurance showed that defendant’s policy had been cancelled on September 1, 2017 due to non-payment.
Defence counsel stated that this had been a difficult time for the defendant, who was originally from Dublin, as his sister had passed away a short time before this incident.
District Judge Paul Copeland said he could not accept this as “by this stage, he was uninsured for three months”.
Douglas was handed nine penalty points and ordered to pay a fine of £250, along with the offender’s levy of £15.
