Motorist fled from police because he had no licence or insurance

A motorist who was helping to test-drive a car for a prospective buyer fled from police because he had no licence and insurance.
Chesterfield magistrates' court.Chesterfield magistrates' court.
Chesterfield magistrates' court.

Chesterfield magistrates’ court heard on Tuesday, March 28, how Thomas Brown, 20, of Elms Close, Alfreton, also called police after the incident claiming that the car had been stolen.

Prosecuting solicitor Becky Allsop said: “Officers were on patrol when they saw a Seat Altea being driven by Brown and the vehicle was followed to Castle Drive, at Somercotes, and Brown got out of the driver’s seat and ran off.

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“Officers found a mobile phone in the vehicle with a picture of Brown as the screensaver, a vehicle log book, keys and a V5 form and there was a passenger who had been taken for a test drive at the time.”

Mrs Allsop revealed that officers also received a call that Brown had later contacted other police and reported the vehicle had been stolen.

Jobless Brown was arrested and he told police he had no licence or insurance and he had panicked and fled the vehicle.

He also admitted using a neighbour’s phone to subsequently call police and he expressed remorse.

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Mrs Allsop added that when police finally arrested Brown he had changed out of his clothes and into his pyjamas.

Brown pleaded guilty to driving without insurance and without a licence after the incident about 11am, on March 13.

The defendant had also originally been charged with wasting police time after he fled from the vehicle and claimed it had been stolen but the CPS withdrew this charge on the grounds police had already established Brown’s identity.

Defence solicitor Asif Munir said Brown’s father had put the Seat Altea up for sale and the defendant took a call from a prospective buyer and he did not want to lose the sale so he agreed to take the buyer for a test drive.

Magistrates fined Brown £120 and ordered him to pay £85 costs and a £35 victim surcharge and they endorsed any pending licence with six points.

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