Year community order for man who drove while banned in Powys

Paul Arghir, 57, was driving with a provisional licence when officers stopped his Saab on the A483 in Garthmyl on April 19. He claimed that he was not told about the driving ban because he had moved house.

Speaking through a Romanian interpreter, Arghir pleaded guilty to driving while disqualified and without insurance when he appeared at Welshpool Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday.

Helen Tench, prosecuting, told the court that Arghir, who had no previous convictions, was disqualified from driving by Lincolnshire Magistrates for six months for totting on a provisional licence.

Robert Hanratty, acting for Arghir, said: “He was unaware of what led to the disqualification due to a change of address. As you know bans can be imposed in absentia these days.

“This is a case that falls into the lowest bracket for culpability and harm, and I would urge you to dispose it by way of a fine. Disqualification is discretionary and I ask it would be the minimum period. Other than that, I would ask you to fine him.”

Rebecca Klug, chair, told Aghir, of Warden Road, Birmingham: “You have pleaded guilty today to driving whilst disqualified and using a motor vehicle without third party insurance. We are going to deal this today by imposing a 12-month community order which will consist solely of 40 hours of unpaid work. It would have been 60 hours, but you pleaded guilty at the earliest available opportunity. We are also awarding court costs £85 and £95 victim surcharge which will be consolidated by existing fines.

“There is no separate penalty for driving without insurance. And because you are what we call a ‘totter’ and you were already disqualified, and now have pleaded guilty to driving whilst disqualified, we have to disqualify you from driving again. We are taking into account the unexpired time from the last disqualification, and from today we are going to disqualify you for 18 weeks.”