Derbyshire cattle farmer didn't realise he had been banned when police stopped him driving girlfriend to work

Richard Mark Bramley had been banned as a totter prior to the incident on April 18 this year, but had moved house in quick succession and never received notification of the ban, Chesterfield Magistrates’ Court was told on Tuesday, September 1.

Police had seen Bramley’s Landrover Discovery on Causeway Lane, Matlock and its ANPR reader showed that the vehicle wasn’t insured, said Robert Carr, prosecuting.

“The officer followed the defendant’s vehicle and thought he was travelling at excessive speeds along the A6 towards Darley Dale,” he said.

Bramley, 34, of Tom Thorn Farm, Fairfield, Buxton, initially told officers that his vehicle was insured, but didn’t realise that it wasn’t due to his driving ban, Mr Carr added.

Bramley admitted driving while disqualified and driving without insurance when he appeared before the court.

Mitigating, Steve Brint said that Bramley had sent his licence off for a previous motoring offence and assumed he would get three points, but had then moved house twice in quick succession - the second time to move into the house attached to his farm - and had not received notification from the court or the DVLA of the ban.

Magistrates endorsed Bramley’s licence with six penalty points - a total of nine after a speeding conviction in January - fined him £350 and ordered him to pay £85 costs and a £35 victim surcharge.

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