A MAN who has been caught driving without insurance for the fifth time has been jailed for four months.
Assistant Magistrate Peter Harris told Marco Paulo Varela that he had shown a ‘callous disregard’ for the law and that prison was the only option for him.
The Magistrate’s Court heard that Varela (52) bought a car in January. On 24 May, it was noticed parked in Beach Road in St Saviour without a valid windscreen insurance disc.
Valera admitted driving without insurance and without displaying a windscreen insurance disc.
He also admitted failing to register the vehicle as his, and failing to provide registration documents when asked for them by police.
Advocate Luke Sette, prosecuting, told the court that Valera had four previous convictions for driving without insurance, dating from January 2007, January 2017, August 2018 and February 2020.
Advocate James Bell, defending, asked for a community service order instead of prison.
He said: ‘Mr Valera wishes to apologise for this serious error of judgment.
‘He is aware that he has put himself in jeopardy.’
Advocate Bell added that there had been some confusion over the insurance status of the vehicle, as the previous owner had paid her insurance by standing order and did not appear to have cancelled it after she had sold it to Valera.
He said to Assistant Magistrate Peter Harris: ‘I do ask that you give him a chance today.’
But Mr Harris replied: ‘He was given a chance. He appeared to show callous disregard to the legal requirement to have insurance.
‘I cannot see how a custodial sentence can be avoided.’
As well as the prison sentence, Valera was banned from driving for 12 months.
