AN OSWESTRY taxi service owner who was pulled over for speeding by police was astonished to discover he had been disqualified from driving several months earlier.

Shaun Hill, of Oswald Cars, said he had no clue and no notification that he had received a six-month ban in December 2022, but said he would not have been the person behind the wheel on the date of the conviction in any case.

Hill was stopped by police on the A44 near Aberystwyth on March 13, this year, due to the speed he was travelling at.

Checks on the Police National Computer (PNC) showed there were no previous convictions recorded at all against Hill and they let him go – but according to the DVLA, he was the named driver banned by a court in Mold on December 13 last year.

The 31-year-old, of Weston Lane, Oswestry, pleaded guilty to driving while disqualified and driving without insurance when he appeared at Welshpool Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, April 4.

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The court heard he was stopped by police driving a grey Volkswagen Golf on the A44 in Lovesgrove, just outside Aberystwyth, on March 13.

“The defendant came to the attention of police as he was driving at speed,” said prosecutor Molly Rumsdale.

“He was pulled over and checks showed he was disqualified on December 13, 2022. The disqualification runs until June 12, 2023. He has since appeared at a court to say he didn’t know he was disqualified.”

Michael Davies, acting for Hill, said there were “bizarre aspects” to the case.
“The case was adjourned a week ago in Aberystwyth for enquiries to be made,” said Mr Davies.

“He was stopped in Aberystwyth, police thought he was driving faster than he ought to be. They made enquiries and when they searched the PNC there were no previous convictions recorded at all against him, which should not be the case if he’s been convicted.

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“As far as police were concerned they said he was not disqualified and they let him go. But the DVLA said he was disqualified.

“He runs Oswald Cars in Oswestry; he has seven cars and 25 drivers are employed.

“It is the company policy to identify the driver and send information to the police (when an offence arises).

“He had no idea he had been disqualified by Mold court in December. It was for an offence of failing to respond to a notice of intended prosecution. He said he never received it. He has been at the property where he currently lives for eight years. He would not have been the driver on the day any offence was committed.”

Mr Davies added: “He does a lot of work for the NHS in Telford, Oswestry and Gobowen, transporting medical supplies.”

Magistrates fined Hill £500 and ordered him to pay a £200 surcharge and £85 costs for driving while disqualified. He had six points placed on his licence.

The court was told this would take the points on his licence up to 23 as he previously had 17 points on his licence. However, that will come down to just six as the other points are due to disappear once the ban is served.

There was no separate penalty for driving without insurance.