A COACH driver has kept his driving licence despite racking up 12 penalty points after the father-of-five pleaded poverty.

Andrew Henwood told Teesside Magistrates’ Court today (Thursday, may 9) that he would suffer exceptional hardship if he was banned. He would lose his job and home and therefore be unable to support his large extended family, he said.

He was pulled over by police in his Nissan Quashquai car at the Newport Approach road in Stockton on January 13 this year when a vehicle check revealed he had no insurance and six points already on his licence, explained prosecutor, Rachael Dosdworth.

Pleading guilty to driving without insurance, Henwood, 33, of Kinver Close in Middlesbrough, took to the witness box to plead exceptional hardship which can only ever be used once in mitigation.

A driver for nine years, he has worked at Procters Coaches for two years and as a courier before that.

“I live with my partner who is a student and our two small children and we rent a house,” he said.

“I also have three other children from a previous relationship. If I lost my licence I would not be able to manage, to be fair. We could not afford to stay in our rented house and we do not have any savings.”

He was fined £170 and ordered to pay £85 costs and a £20 victim surcharge.

“He accepts that he was driving without insurance, it was an error,” said defence solicitor, Helen Sabiston.