A man who was found with a fake driving licence claimed to have bought it 20 years ago in Romania for 1,000 German Marks.
Court heard the 41-year-old admitted to never having taken a test, but he believed the document to be genuine, even paying for insurance to drive.
Aurel Bot, of Victoria Terrace, Portadown pleaded guilty to possessing a false identity document, no driving licence, using a vehicle without insurance and making a false declaration to obtain insurance at Craigavon Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.
Prosecution outlined that on November 17, at 5.30am, police stopped the defendant driving a Vauxhall Vectra on the Moy Road in Portadown.
When asked for documentation, Bot produced a Romanian licence and a policy of insurance from Admiral.
Upon inspection of the licence police believed it to be fraudulent.
During interview, the defendant admitted he had never taken a driving test, saying he had purchased the licence from a male in Romania some 20 years ago for 1,000 German Marks.
He said that he had believed that the licence was genuine.
Defence counsel stated: “He has no record, there were admissions at interview and this was a guilty plea at the first opportunity.
“He is married with three children, he is the sole provider. He was frank in interview and was even paying an insurance premium which turned out to be a waste of money in the circumstances.”
Bot was disqualified from driving for six months and was ordered to pay a fine of £350, along with the offender’s levy of £15, within 20 weeks.
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