A Peel man has been fined £500 after admitting driving while disqualified.

Paul Bradley Smith, of Peveril Road, had a second charge against him of driving without insurance withdrawn.

Prosecutor James Robinson told the court how, 35-year-old Smith was disqualified from driving in September 2002 for 12 months for driving while unfit through drink or drugs.

He was also ordered to retake his test at the end of the ban before driving again.

On January 23, at 5.45pm, police saw Smith driving a Peugeot 208 on Peel Road in Crosby.

He was stopped but told police that he did have a licence and insurance but could not produce them at the scene.

He was asked if he had been in any trouble previously and said no.

Checks revealed that he had been disqualified and he was quizzed about this.

Smith then said he knew he had been disqualified but that he wasn’t sure about the retaking of his test.

He was asked why he was driving and said that he had been doing so on an English licence.

The court heard that the offence in 2002 had been before a reciprocal agreement had come into place so Smith was able to get an English licence.

Defending him in Magistrates court on Thursday, advocate Rebecca Cubbon said that her client was at university at the time of his disqualification.

Ms Cubbon said: ’He returned to the island in 2014.

’On the day in question he was unaware of the requirement to retake his test, believing his English licence would allow him to drive.’

Clerk to the justices Steven Tucker asked why Smith had told police he had no previous convictions.

Ms Cubbon answered that Smith said he had not realised he had to disclose this as it was so long ago.

Smith was also ordered to pay £125 prosecution costs