Motorist gets unpaid work after driving pal's car without a licence and insurance

A motorist who took someone else's car without their permission and drove to Bradford without a licence or insurance has been given 100 hours of unpaid work.
Chesterfield magistrates' court.Chesterfield magistrates' court.
Chesterfield magistrates' court.

Chesterfield magistrates’ court heard on June 20 how Joshua Geoffrey Birch-Bluff, 22, of Stratton Road, Bolsover, had been at the car owner’s address in Bolsover with others when he took the vehicle and drove to Bradford to see a friend.

Prosecuting solicitor Becky Allsop said: “Police in Bradford were on patrol and saw a vehicle appearing to be looking at dwellings. They stopped the vehicle and Birch-Bluff was the driver.”

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Birch-Bluff told police that the car owner had gone to bed and he took the vehicle and left with two others and travelled to Bradford to see a friend and he intended to bring the car back before the owner realised what had happened.

The defendant pleaded guilty to taking the VW Golf without consent, driving without insurance and without a licence after the incident on May 21.

The court also heard how Birch-Bluff had committed the offence while he was on bail for other matters which were dealt with on May 25 when he received a community order for drink-driving, driving without a licence and insurance and for possessing the class A drug cocaine.

Defence solicitor Kevin Tomlinson said: “He made a foolish decision to take his friend’s car and visit a friend in Bradford.”

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Mr Tomlinson added that Birch-Bluff was joined by two others from the house but he accepted he was the driver and makes it clear it was his decision to do what he did.

Birch-Bluff was also held in custody in Bradford for 15 hours before he was interviewed by a Derbyshire police officer and released on bail.

Magistrates sentenced Birch-Bluff to a 12 month community order with 100 hours of unpaid work and disqualified him from driving for six months.

He was also ordered to pay £85 costs and an £85 victim surcharge.