A 23-YEAR-OLD man who mistakenly thought he was insured to drive the car he was in when stopped by police has been given a fine and penalty points.

Curtis Timlin, with an address of Rosscolban Meadows, Kesh, was convicted of having no insurance and failing to provide his driving licence in relation to an incident on January 30.

At around 5.10pm, police observed a Peugeot on the Cornagrade Road, Enniskillen being driven by the defendant. Checks showed there was no insurance in place.

When he was pulled over, Timlin told officers he had an insurance policy which covered him through a third-party extension.

No extension

Timlin was ordered to produce his licence within seven days, while checks on the insurance showed there was no such extension in place.

Timlin’s solicitor, Garry Smyth, told the court that the 23-year-old’s insurance he had in respect of a van he owned covered him for the car, but he was not covered to drive a domestic vehicle.

Mr. Smyth said the car the defendant was driving was his partner’s, and when it became apparent he was not insured, efforts were made to sort that out and he described it as a misunderstanding on his client’s behalf.

Mr. Smyth told the court Timlin’s licence was very important to him, and asked for credit to be given for the prompt action taken to remedy the insurance problem once it was realised.

District Judge Steven Keown, taking all things into consideration, fined Timlin £500 and handed down six penalty points.