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11
Oct
Harrogate man banned for driving whilst disqualified
A Harrogate man has been sentenced for driving just weeks before his disqualification ended.
Andrew Gray appeared at Harrogate Magistrates Court on Friday (October 10) for sentencing after previously pleading guilty to driving whilst disqualified and driving without insurance.
Mel Ibbotson, prosecuting, told the court police officers were travelling along Burn Bridge Lane in the Burn Bridge area of Harrogate at around 8.40pm on February 16.
They noticed a red Audi TT driving above the speed limit on the road and decided to follow it.
Police stopped the Audi, which Gray was driving, and found he was the sole occupant of the car.
Checks revealed Gray was a disqualified driver and was therefore not insured to drive the car.
Gray was banned from driving for 20 months after being convicted of drink-driving in 2023. His ban was due to end on April 2 this year, meaning he had less than two months left of the disqualification, the court heard.
Ms Ibbotson said police seized the car and told Gray he would be reported for the offences that were brought to court.
Gray was transporting his belongings, court hears
Chris McGrogan, defending, told the court: “It’s fair to say at the time of the offence Mr Gray was experiencing a number of difficulties and problems”.
He said Gray, now of Church Avenue, had been made homeless shortly before committing the offence.
Gray then arranged accommodation for himself but he had no way of moving his belongings from his ex-partner’s house – where they were stored – to his new accommodation.
Mr McGrogan said Gray, 34, took the decision to borrow his ex-partner’s car to transport his things between the two properties, which is when he was stopped by police.
“He made an error of judgement and he fully accepts his wrongdoing”, Mr McGrogan added.
The court heard Gray is currently unemployed but he has been actively seeking employment.
He was interested in work that involved driving and had been offered a role erecting “for sale” and “sold” signs outside houses.
But Mr McGrogan said the defendant knows he cannot currently accept the role due to the court proceedings.
'The defendant regrets his actions'
A pre-sentence report was prepared by probation officer Andrew Watson ahead of the hearing and was read to the court.
Mr Watson said he had a “slightly different account as to what happened” on the night of the offence.
He told the court:
The defendant tells me his relationship at the time was quite unstable and they had a falling out that day. He took his ex-partner’s car to go back to Leeds and back to his accommodation.
Mr Watson said Gray had completed a drink-drive awareness course following his previous conviction in the hopes of getting his licence back sooner, adding he has also “taken steps to reduce his alcohol use".
“The defendant tells me he regrets his actions and that he will learn from this”, Mr Watson added.
Gray has diagnosed ADHD, which Mr Watson told the magistrates “might have been a factor in his poor thinking”.
The defendant admitted to Mr Watson he previously struggled with alcohol but claimed he now drinks one-to-two times a week and hopes to stop drinking entirely.
Mr Watson added:
The drink-driving offence related to a different relationship. After a falling out, the defendant was locked out and made the decision to drive.
After the report was given to the court, Mr McGrogran said:
Mr Gray said it’s the case that what he told me were the circumstances of the offence.
He had been in a relationship, but it ended. He was not staying there and went back there to get his belongings.
The magistrates handed Gray a 12-month community order, during which he must complete 10 rehabilitation activity requirement days and 80 hours of unpaid work.
He was banned from driving for three months and was ordered to pay £199 to the court.
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