Disqualification for man who may have driven over 20 years without licence

Monday 06 February 2017

A man has been handed an interim driving disqualification for driving without a licence or valid insurance – something he may have been doing for over 20 years.

The Magistrate's Court heard that Nicholas John Rondel (49) was riding a black moped on the Grande Route de St Jean on the 20th December when he was stopped by the Police.

It was alleged that he had initially stated he had “mislaid” his driving licence at home; but after a Police database check confirmed he had no licence, he admitted, “I put my hands up, I don’t have one.”

He was subsequently cautioned, and it later emerged that he may have been driving licence-free for over two decades - and up until 2009, he had also done so without insurance.

The Court heard that Mr Rondel had taken a basic training course when he was younger – equivalent to the CBT – but never obtained a full licence.

“Why this had been going on for some years, the reasoning escapes me at the moment why you didn’t apply for a licence and take your test,” Magistrate Bridget Shaw commented.

Mr Rondel plead guilty to the charges, and has now applied for a provisional licence, “…in an effort to do the right thing.” 

Nonetheless, Magistrate Shaw said that it was, “…a serious matter to make that false statement in the first place …[and] effectively driving for many years uninsured,” adding that she would, “…consider all sentencing options,” before handing him an interim driving disqualification.

“Disqualification is inevitable… That means you must not drive any vehicle on any public road in Jersey from now on." 

If he is found to be driving, Mr Rondel risks being taken into custody.

The case is adjourned until the 2^nd March pending the outcome of a social enquiry report, and Mr Rondel has been remanded on bail.