Driver (83) admonished over insurance 'oversight'

An 83-year-old driver’s trouble-free road record ended when he was involved in an accident.

Police officers investigating it discovered that Gordon Cunningham didn’t have insurance, Wick Sheriff Court heard on Wednesday.

Cunningham, who has since given up driving, admitted the charge.

However, fiscal Sue Foard accepted a further plea of not guilty to another charge which accused him of causing the two-car crash by careless driving after attempting to overtake when it was not safe to do so, on the A9 south of Latheronwheel, on October 28, last year.

When cautioned and charged with the insurance offence, Cunningham, of Neil Gunn Road, Dunbeath, replied to officers: “I pay it monthly, so far as I am concerned that car was insured.”

However, the police subsequently discovered the cover payments had lapsed.

Solicitor Fiona MacDonald said Cunningham had since given up driving and no longer owned a car. She added that if he did change his mind, he would require to be medically examined by a DVLA doctor.

Sheriff Andrew Berry took the view that the accused’s failure to maintain his insurance cover had been “an oversight” and commented on his clean driving record.

The sheriff added: “Normally, I would have imposed a fine reflecting the amount if there had been a fixed penalty offered at the time, but given the circumstances of this case and in the interests of justice, Mr Cunningham will be admonished.”