A 35-year-old man from Union Mills has been fined £300 for driving without insurance.

Mark Peter Richards, of Snugborough Avenue, admitted the offence and also had his licence endorsed with four points.

Prosecuting advocate Rachael Braidwood told the court that police were called to an accident at Waterloo Road in Ramsey on February 13.

Richards was driving his father’s Volkswagen Caddy van when he was involved in a collision with another vehicle.

Police inquiries found that, although he had fully comprehensive insurance for his own car, he was not insured to drive the van.

Defence advocate Jane Gray handed in her client’s insurance policy which said that he was insured to drive third party vehicles but only private ones and the van had been classed as commercial, even though it was not being used commercially.

Ms Gray said that Richards had thought he was insured.

’It was snowing heavily, conditions were bad, there was a queue of traffic and when he braked he went into the back of the other vehicle,’ said the advocate.

’He wasn’t driving recklessly.’

Magistrates also ordered Richards to pay £50 prosecution costs which he will pay, along with the fine, at a rate of £10 per week, deducted from benefits.