Lorry driver who used phone on A36 Southampton Road avoids ban

Lorry Driver Who Used Phone on A36 Southampton Road Escapes Ban

A lorry driver caught using his phone while driving avoids a ban after proving it would cause hardship to his family

Local

Wincanton, Somerset, Lorry Driver, Phone Use, Court Case

Wincanton: So, there’s this lorry driver named Paul Sleep. He was caught using his phone while driving his Renault truck back on December 22, 2023. Not a great move, right?

He admitted to the offense in court on October 23, 2024, and then showed up at Swindon Magistrates’ Court on January 7.

Now, here’s the twist. Sleep was facing a driving ban because he had racked up 12 points on his license. But his lawyer argued that a ban would really hurt his family, especially his elderly dad.

In the end, he got fined £216, plus an £86 surcharge for victim services and £90 in costs for the Crown Prosecution Service. The magistrates took his guilty plea into account, which helped him out a bit.

Interestingly, figures from the DVLA show that over 10,000 people in England and Wales still have valid licenses even with 12 points. That’s quite a jump from 8,594 just five years ago!

To avoid a ban, defendants need to prove that losing their license would cause more than just a little inconvenience or financial trouble for their dependents.

Image Credits and Reference: https://www.salisburyjournal.co.uk/news/24845007.lorry-driver-used-phone-a36-southampton-road-avoids-ban/?ref=rss