A man who believed he was covered to drive a car through his own policy has been handed six penalty points.
The 32-year-old stated: “It was my own mistake, I was not trying to avoid paying insurance, I thought I had cover.”
Andrew Donaldson, 32, of Ballyclare, pleaded guilty to using a vehicle without insurance at Craigavon Magistrates’ Court on Friday.
Court heard the defendant was stopped driving a Vauxhall Corsa on Avenue Road, Lurgan, at 8.37pm on June 1.
Police checks showed the car was insured to a female with no named drivers on the policy.
Donaldson told officers that he believed himself to be covered by his own insurance policy, however, when provided this was shown not to be true.
It was revealed the vehicle belonged to the defendant’s partner and that he did have insurance on a Transit van.
Court also heard that the defendant had no previous driving offences on his record.
Donaldson, who represented himself, stated: “It was my own mistake, I was not trying to avoid paying insurance, I thought I had cover.”
District Judge Bernie Kelly commented: “Well you know now that you were not.”
The defendant was handed six penalty points and ordered to pay a fine of £200, along with the offender’s levy of £15, within four weeks.
