As a result, Patrick Joseph Kennedy (57), of Grand Pre La Rue Marvel, Grouville, faces having to retake his test after he serves a driving ban as neither the UK nor Jersey driving licence authorities have any record of him holding a licence.
The hotel chef was ordered to pay £1,600 in fines and was banned from driving for six months after he admitted charges of failing to hold a driving licence between 24 October 2012 and 6 April 2018. He also admitted making a false declaration to obtain insurance by saying that he held a valid and full UK driving licence.
However, Kennedy was adamant that he must have had a licence when he secured cover from Islands Insurance as they would not have issued a policy without production of a valid licence. And the court heard that the policy was valid as he was not facing a charge of driving without insurance.
Grouville Centenier Anne Viney said the matter first came to police attention on 4 April after someone reported the manner in which Kennedy was driving a black Peugeot and officers went to his home. The court heard that he had been at work and had just driven home.
The Centenier said that the defendant told officers he held a valid licence and was asked to produce it at a later time. The court heard that the police made many requests after that to produce it but the defendant did not respond. Eventually on 20 June he was arrested.
Advocate Sarah Dale, defending, said that it was her instructions that Kennedy had put his driving licence into a pre-paid envelope and sent it to the insurance company. The lawyer said that Kennedy believed Islands Insurance had lost the licence. She said that he claimed he showed the licence to the receptionist at the company. ‘He must have had it as it was shown on his insurance documents,’ said the lawyer.
Advocate Dale said that the defendant took his test in the army but was unable to prove that he had passed as there was now no record and no confirmation could be secured from the army.
She said that he stopped driving in July because he was unable to prove he held a licence.
