Craigavon man, who let his insurance lapse as premiums were 'too dear', has been fined at court

Thomas Larkhin, aged 38, from Pinebank in Craigavon, faced two charges before Craigavon Magistrates Court on Wednesday including using a vehicle without insurance and having a defective tyre.

-

-

The court heard that on November 17 last year police stopped a Mercedes on High Street, Portadown and noticed the rear nearside tyre was defective as the canvas on the inside was visible. When asked, he said he didn’t have his insurance with him. Later he produced insurance but it was valid from after the time he was stopped by police.

Larkhin’s lawyer said his client was a single man who works earning £430 per week and is a probationary driver who passed his test in June 2023. He said he had previously been insured and had been using a box that monitored his driving but ‘that wasn’t working out and the premiums were too dear and he allowed that to lapse’.

The solicitor said his client got another insurance policy and was "caught in between times”.

The solicitor added that the car has been handed back at a cost to Larkhin of £5,371 as it was on a finance agreement.

For having no insurance, District Judge Francis Rafferty gave Larkhin six penalty points and a fine of £200 as well as the Offender Levy. In respect of the defective tyre he was given three penalty points and a fine of £50. The defendant was given 12 weeks to pay .