Man jailed for driving despite ban

A NICOSIA man was yesterday jailed for 45 days after being caught driving despite receiving a driving ban five months before.

The 22-year-old had pleaded guilty to four charges of driving without a licence, insurance and road tax and violated a court ban on his licence.

According to the court decision, the defendant was stopped by police for a random inspection on the Limassol-Nicosia motorway on April 7, 2006.

Upon being informed of the offence he had committed, he told officers, “I admit making a mistake.”

In November 2005, the defendant had received a driving ban of six months, as well as a £200 fine and 30 days’ jail, suspended for three years, again for driving without a licence.

The court heard during mitigation that the 22-year-old suffered from psychological problems and had had problems in the past with drugs.

His defence lawyer also claimed that the suspect was on his way to the airport to pick up his mother, who had gone to England to receive medical treatment.

Jailing him yesterday, Judge Marina Papadopoulou said, “With his behaviour, the defendant showed an utter disrespect to the court order. The ban on his licence by the court aimed at changing the defendant’s overall behaviour, and the court must now show that violating court orders will in no way be tolerated.”

Judge Papadopoulou jailed the 22-year-old for 30 days before adding a further 15 days because he had violated the court order.

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