An elderly woman with dementia has been convicted of failing to insure her car – despite her living in a nursing home and no longer having a driving licence.
The pensioner, 93, from Dudley in the West Midlands, was prosecuted by DVLA in September last year when they found out that the insurance on her Ford had expired.
In a handwritten letter the woman explained that due to her diagnosis she had not driven since November 10, 2023, but the vehicle had been ‘kept on the drive’ during this period, the Evening Standard reports.
She admitted to having ‘overlooked’ making a Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN) for the motor, but said her disease had caused her to hide mail – leaving her family unable to access her letters.
The woman also revealed she had been recovering from a stroke in a care home since November.
As prosecutor DVLA could have decided to withdraw the prosecution on the grounds it wasn’t in the public interest.
But, due to the fast-track design of the Single Justice Procedure, this was not considered.
The pensioner was convicted on a guilty plea at Taunton magistrates court last month.
She was given a six-month conditional discharge, meaning no financial penalty, but still has a criminal conviction.
Hellbound and Down 