A lorry driver caught using his phone while driving avoids a ban after proving it would cause hardship to his family
He admitted to the offense in court on October 23, 2024, and then showed up at Swindon Magistrates’ Court on January 7.
Now, here’s the twist. Sleep was facing a driving ban because he had racked up 12 points on his license. But his lawyer argued that a ban would really hurt his family, especially his elderly dad.
In the end, he got fined £216, plus an £86 surcharge for victim services and £90 in costs for the Crown Prosecution Service. The magistrates took his guilty plea into account, which helped him out a bit.
Interestingly, figures from the DVLA show that over 10,000 people in England and Wales still have valid licenses even with 12 points. That’s quite a jump from 8,594 just five years ago!
To avoid a ban, defendants need to prove that losing their license would cause more than just a little inconvenience or financial trouble for their dependents.
