A 28-YEAR-OLD Dolgellau motorist has issued a warning to other drivers about having to inform their insurance companies about endorsements on their driving licence, and when the penalty points expired.

Robert Halcrow Jones, self employed, of 5 Bryn Piod, Llanfachreth, Dolgellau, was stopped by police in Jubilee Road, Barmouth on 2 April when driving his 03 registered Peugeot.

Rhian Jones, prosecuting, said that police officers carried out a PNC check on the vehicle and discovered that it was not insured.

Jones told police officers that money was being deducted by his insurance company from his bank account on a monthly basis.

He was charged with driving without insurance and informed Mold motoring court that he was pleading not guilty, with the trial due to be heard last Thursday.

It transpired that Jones’ girlfriend had filled in his insurance online and stated that he did not have any penalty points on his driving licence as they were over three years old. But Jones was informed that insurance companies went back five years regarding endorsements, and that he should have told them about his endorsements, even though he did have a clean driving licence.

Court clerk Tudur Parry informed Jones that because he had filled his insurance application without declaring his penalty points, his policy was void.

Jones then pleaded guilty to driving without insurance but felt that he had been misled.

“I am sure that other drivers whose penalty points have expired have stated that they have a clean driving licence. I did have a clean driving licence, but insurance companies go back five years. I did not know that and am sure that other motorists don’t know that either,” Jones told the court.

He asked the magistrates not to ban him from driving because he had moved back to work in the Dolgellau area, having worked in the Cardiff area, adding that there was very little public transport to Llanfachreth where he lived, some four miles from Dolgellau.

The court was told by the crown prosecutor that Jones did have a clean driving licence, his penalty points having been removed after three years.

To make matters even more complicated, the court chairman Elfed ap Gomer asked whether the case was affected by new laws relating to vehicle insurances.

The chairman was told that the new laws came into effect on 10 April, a week after the defendant was stopped by police.

“We have listened to what you have told the court and to what the prosecution have said. For driving without insurance you will be fined £300 with £85 prosecution costs and £20 victim surcharge,” the chairman told Jones.

Six penalty points were imposed on his driving licence and as such was not banned from driving.

Jones agreed to pay at the £405 at the rate of £100 per month. He thanked the court officials for their assistance.