A 77-year-old man from Middleton, Greater Manchester, was given a conditional discharge after being convicted for not insuring his Peugeot, which he stopped driving when diagnosed with dementia in December 2024
A pensioner suffering from severe dementia has been found guilty of failing to insure the motor he can no longer drive.
The 77 year old man, who resides in Middleton, Greater Manchester, ceased using his Peugeot in December 2024 following his initial dementia diagnosis. He has been prosecuted through a contentious fast-track court system in Derby.
He faced charges for lacking insurance on his vehicle on August 12 last year, reports the Manchester Evening News..
Court documents reveal the man is now “confused much of the time” and incapable of handling his own matters.
He has no recollection of receiving a penalty from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) regarding the uninsured car in August 2025. The DVLA subsequently pursued prosecution when the fine remained unpaid.
His brother became aware of the issue when the DVLA initiated criminal proceedings earlier this month. He submitted a letter to the court outlining the circumstances surrounding the outstanding payment, though the correspondence proved insufficient to stop the prosecution.
A magistrate in Derby found the man guilty last Thursday of maintaining a motor vehicle that fails to meet insurance requirements.
The case was pursued under the Single Justice Procedure (SJP), a streamlined court system where magistrates convene privately to swiftly handle minor criminal matters.
The SJP framework was introduced as a money-saving initiative in 2015. The structure means that prosecutors like the DVLA cannot access correspondence from defendants when submitted to the court.
Opportunities to drop cases that no longer serve the public interest are frequently overlooked.
The Government acknowledges concerns surrounding the Single Justice Procedure and is continuing to review feedback from a consultation on potential reforms which closed in May 2025.
“(He) is a 77-year-old pensioner who is suffering from severe dementia,” the brother wrote.
“He was officially diagnosed in December 2024. He was advised not to drive from then on.”
The brother explained that around Spring 2025, he agreed to buy the vehicle from the pensioner and had arranged for it to undergo a fresh MOT.
The pensioner hadn’t driven at all in 2025, but mistakenly informed a doctor during a medical assessment that he “is still driving”.
“The severity of his dementia causes memory loss resulting in him being confused much of the time,” the brother said.
“He is now incapable of managing his affairs to any degree and therefore I have only just become aware of this issue.
“(He) has no recollection of receiving any letters regarding this.”
The brother revealed he is attempting to secure Power of Attorney to allow him to manage the pensioner’s affairs.
Magistrate Louise Hammond accepted a guilty plea submitted on his behalf by his brother and handed down a six-month conditional discharge instead of a fine.
Despite a guilty plea being entered and accepted by the court, the DVLA retains the right to request the case be reopened.
