Man fined for driving without insurance – because premium had tripled

Anthony John Christie Mossop (41), who also had his licence endorsed, was caught having parked at the Airport in mid-June with an out-of-date windscreen insurance disc.

Centenier John Camara said that when the defendant attended St Peter’s Parish Hall he admitted driving without cover for two months.

The Magistrate’s Court was told that the policy had expired on 19 April and Mossop had decided not to renew with that company, as they were quoting him a premium that was three times more than he had previously paid.

Relief Magistrate David Le Cornu asked Mr Camara: ‘Are you saying, Centenier, that he deliberately drove while uninsured?’

‘Yes,’ he replied.

However, Advocate Adam Harrison, defending, said that Mossop’s actions had been ‘negligent rather than deliberate’.

He told the court that the increase in the premium came about as a result of two claims Mossop had outstanding against other insurance companies. ‘He was not happy about the quote but had intended to get other insurance,’ he said.

However, Advocate Harrison said that the defendant ‘clean forgot about his insurance policy’ because of other things that had happened.

‘His mother-in-law passed away and he had to travel to Turkey to pack up her house. Shortly after he returned, he and his wife went on holiday. He also started to cycle to work as the weather improved,’ he said.

The advocate asked the court to treat Mossop’s actions as negligence and impose a fine and an endorsement rather than a driving ban.

In sentencing, Mr Le Cornu said: ‘This is on the very high end of negligence bordering on the deliberate.

‘Driving without insurance is a very serious matter.’

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