A soldier won his licence back and had a fine quashed last week after an insurance company spoke up in court to admit that the policy he was issued was misleading.

Daniel Devine's case first appeared before magistrates in Richmond in August when, on the advice of a solicitor, he admitted driving with no insurance.

He was fined £360 with £35 costs and his licence was endorsed with seven penalty points.

However, because Mr Devine had only recently passed his test, the penalty also meant an automatic disqualification.

His job as a driver with the Queen's Lancashire Regiment at Catterick Garrison was therefore in jeopardy along with his home on Herriot Drive in Colburn.

Last week, Mr Devine's solicitor, Adrian Dent, urged Richmond magistrates to re-open the case, saying that Mr Devine had no idea his licence was at risk when he pleaded guilty earlier this year.

After magistrates had agreed to listen to mitigation, the court was told that Mr Devine committed the offence in ignorance - under the mistaken belief he was insured to drive a friend's car.

Keith Morris, director of insurance brokers BDML Connect reinforced Mr Devine's story by confirming that paperwork sent by the company to Mr Devine could have been misleading.

Mr Devine had been covered to drive any car when he first used BDML to find him insurance with Norwich Union in 1998.

However, a subsequent policy with Cornhill the following year did not include the same cover. Mr Devine was not warned of the change in circumstances, either verbally or in writing.

Mr Morris told the court that as a direct result of Mr Devine's case, BDML has since changed its policies.

In place of a £360 fine, Mr Devine was given an absolute discharge. The penalty points on his licence were also withdrawn.

However, magistrates ordered Mr Devine to pay a £60 fine for driving his friend's car without a test certificate, along with the costs of £35