An unlicensed teen driver, who drove an unlicensed and uninsured vehicle without registration plates into the yard of a police station has been fined EC$2,800.
Ronan Philgence, 17, of London, Sandy Bay, pleaded guilty to four traffic charges when he appeared before Magistrate Kaywana Jacobs at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court.
He was charged that on April 2, at Owia, he drove PQ361 without front and rear identification marks being affixed, without him being the holder of a driver’s permit, without a policy of insurance in respect to third party risk and with him not being the holder of a driver’s license for the period Feb. 1 to July 31, 2024.
The prosecutor, Corporal Delando Charles told the court that at 2:40 a.m. on April 2, PC 1000 Minors was on duty at the Owia Police Station when he saw the defendant drive a motor vehicle onto the police station’s compound.
There were no number plates affixed to the front and or rear of the vehicle.
Minors approached the driver, identified himself and asked why the number plate was not attached to the vehicle.
Philgence responded, “I do not have it.”
Minors checked inside the vehicle and found nothing illegal. However, when asked for the driver’s license, Philgence told the police officer, “I do not have any.”
Further investigations revealed that the registration plate PQ361 belonged to the vehicle but the registration expired on July 31, 2023.
Minors pointed out the offence to the defendant and later arrested and charged him.
In handing down her sentencing, Jacobs reprimanded and discharged the defendant for using the vehicle without the relevant licenses and fined him on the remaining charges.
For driving without being the holder of a driving permit and driving without the relevant identification marks, the defendant was ordered to pay EC$900. He had to pay EC$100 forthwith and the balance in four months or spend one month in prison on both charges.
And, for using the vehicle without a policy of insurance in respect to third party risk, Philgence was fined EC$1,000 of which he was to pay EC$100 forthwith and the balance in six months or two months in prison.
He was also disqualified from obtaining a driver’s permit for a year.