Halkirk man drove for 21 years – without a licence

A Halkirk man drove his car for 21 years without a licence, Wick Sheriff Court heard on Tuesday.

The law caught up with Ewen Beresford (57) when he was stopped by the police on the B874, at Gillock, on October 29, last year.

Fiscal depute Grant McLennan said that a check by the officers revealed his licence had expired on January 16, 2002.

Beresford, a self-employed contractor, pleaded guilty and admitted a previous record of offending.

Speaking for himself in court, he described the fact that his licence was revoked as “just an oversight” and said he intended reapplying to have it restored.

Sheriff Neil Wilson fined Beresford, of Braal Terrace, Halkirk, £350 and imposed six penalty points.

The sheriff warned the accused, who has now accumulated nine points on his licence, that a minor offence such as “jumping a red light” would take the total to 12 points and trigger an automatic ban of six months.