Motorcycle racing star Cal Crutchlow has been fined £200 for having a vehicle with no licence.

The MotoGP rider, who is 33, did not attend court as he was in Thailand but advocate Jane Gray appeared on his behalf to admit the offence.

Prosecutor James Robinson told the court that Crutchlow was a passenger in a Volkswagen Transporter which was stopped by police on Glencrutchery Road in Douglas on August 16.

Police records showed that the vehicle’s licence and MOT had expired in 2015. It was seized and taken to police headquarters.

Crutchlow told police he had bought the Transporter in 2014 in the UK and brought it to the island. He said he was under the impression it was taxed as it was in his father’s name in the UK. Further investigations found the vehicle was taxed in the UK and not in the Isle of Man.

Ms Gray said: ’Mr Crutchlow wasn’t aware the vehicle was required to be registered here on the island. He immediately registered it.

’It is a vehicle used by his staff primarily to move vehicles around, on and off the island. He relied on staff to make sure the correct documentation was in place. Vehicles in the UK aren’t required to display a tax disc.’

High Bailiff Jayne Hughes said: ’As a professional rider he should have been aware.’

He was ordered to pay £50 costs.