A Tandragee man with four previous convictions for driving without insurance looked officers in the eyes before driving off.
Colin Robinson, of Cabragh Road, pleaded guilty to driving without insurance at Armagh Magistrates’ Court.
Tuesday’s sitting heard that the 33-year-old had six penalty points live on his licence.
The incident occurred on May 12 at around 12.50am, when police spotted a BMW car with its headlights on at the side of the Marlacoo Road, Hamiltonsbawn.
Officers approached the vehicle. The driver’s door was open and the court was told the defendant stared them in the eyes before driving off.
Checks showed the vehicle to be uninsured and led police to the last known owner’s address.
Here they found the BMW parked at the rear of the property and the back door ajar with the keys still in it.
There were no lights on in the house and Robinson failed to present himself to police after several knocks.
Officers seized the vehicle from the address and stopped the defendant once more the next day on the main road.
Robinson told police he had been in a collision in his own insured vehicle prior to police seeing him and had switched over to the BMW which was not insured.
Defence counsel stated the defendant had been involved in the collision in his insured vehicle on May 12, and had taken the BMW as he wanted to remove debris from the road.
It was heard Robinson was a self-employed welder who relies heavily on his car.
Court also heard the defendant had four previous convictions for no insurance.
District Judge Paul Copeland branded this a “foolish decision” adding that “disqualification was inevitable”.
Robinson was handed six penalty points which, through totting up, put him off the road for six months.
In addition to this, he was ordered to pay a fine of £375, along with the offender’s levy of £15.
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