A man who was caught driving on a fake licence and lied to obtain insurance has been given a three month disqualification.
The district judge told the 20-year-old: “I will give you credit for your plea of guilty at the earliest opportunity. You are also young and young people do stupid things sometimes.”
Misekas Erlandas, of High Street, Gilford, pleaded guilty to making a false declaration to obtain a certificate of insurance, possessing a false identity document, fraudulently using a licence, using a vehicle without without insurance and no driving licence at Craigavon Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.
Prosecution outlined that on July 12, at 2am, police stopped a Peugeot 307 on the Mahon Road, Portadown.
The driver of the car was identified as the defendant and he produced a Lithuanian licence to the officers.
After being unable to show police a policy of insurance for the vehicle, Erlandas was given seven days in which to do so.
Upon examination, the defendant’s licence was found to be fraudulent. This meant that his insurance would not cover him and he had falsely informed the company that he held a full EU licence.
Defence solicitor Philip Reid stated: “This is a young man who lives with his mother. He works through an agency with a bakery and he obtained the licence through a co-worker.
“He used this to obtain insurance. Police were suspicious straight away and he accepted that it was fraudulent.”
He added: “This is a man with no record and this was a plea at the earliest opportunity.”
District Judge Amanda Brady said: “Mr Erlandas, I will give you credit for your plea of guilty at the earliest opportunity. You are also young and young people do stupid things sometimes.”
“I hope that I do not see you before a court again.”
Erlandas was disqualified from driving for three months and was ordered to pay a fine of £350, along with the offender’s levy of £15, within 20 weeks.
