an Aberystwyth doctor has escaped a road ban for allowing someone to drive her car without insurance after magistrates ruled it would put her “visa in jeopardy.”

Seema Mazhar, of Frondawel, St Davids Road, appeared before Llanelli magistrates on 21 June.

The 52-year-old admitted permitting Omar Nawaz to use a BMW X3 without insurance on North Parade in Aberystwyth on 8 December.

Magistrates handed Mazhar six penalty points, but did not disqualify her under the totting procedure as it would put her “visa in jeopardy as this goes to the character part of the application.”

Magistrates also said banning her would have a “detrimental effect on the NHS as limited doctors who specialise in this area and could lose her job if she was unable to travel there.”

The court also heard she was the “sole driver in the family”, “has to source halal groceries from far away”, could also lose her home, and a ban “could have an effect on her mental health and her patients and family.”

Mazhar was fined £946 and must pay costs of £110 and a £378 surcharge.