Jarrow dad given penalty points after he received a ‘shock driving ban’ a month earlier

A South Tyneside dad who denied driving while banned suffered shocks to the system twice in repeat appearances before borough magistrates.

Matthew Ord, 33, of Buxton Close, Jarrow, pleaded not guilty to the allegation at a trial in February but to his surprise, was found guilty.

And on returning to the same court to be sentenced on Tuesday, April 9, he looked stunned when informed he had been banned afresh for three years just a month earlier.

Both Ord and his solicitor, Paul Kennedy, said they knew nothing of the conviction, made at Dunfermline Sheriff Court, Dunfermline, Scotland, on Wednesday, March 14.

They were told by South Tyneside court officials it related to an offence of drug driving allegedly committed by Ord in Dunfermline on July 21, 2022.

Magistrates imposed six penalty points for his trial conviction – then warned him not to drive until details of his apparent offence north of the border had been confirmed.

Prosecutor John Garside said a patrolling policeman spotted Ord at the wheel of his partner’s VW Golf in Hill Park Road, Jarrow, on Friday, March 24 last year.

The officer did not stop him but later visited his home, where the allegation he had driven while disqualified was put to him.

He was disqualified from the roads for 18 months in 2021 for another offence of driving while banned.

Mr Garside added: “An officer received intelligence that the defendant was driving while disqualified, driving his partner’s motor.

“He wasn’t followed but he was interviewed later and said he hadn’t been the driver."

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Mr Kennedy told magistrates they had the power to ban Ord for up to six months but urged them to impose only penalty points.

He said his client was desperate to find employment and being able to drive would create opportunity.

Of Ord's trial conviction, Mr Kennedy added: “It’s a fact that he doesn’t accept that he was driving. Lots of things are going right in his life at this time.

“He’s been out of trouble for a substantial amount of time and has got himself free of drugs. There’s quite a lot at stake.”

Magistrates ordered Ord to pay £500 court costs, with a £114 victim surcharge, and handed him a 12-month community order, with 100 hours of unpaid work.