Drink-driver tried to fool police with forged licence - The Rugby Observer

Drink-driver tried to fool police with forged licence

Rugby Editorial 30th Mar, 2021   0

A DRINK-driver forked out £400 for a forged licence so he could keep driving under a false name.

But when Didzis Bondars tried to fool the police with the bogus licence after being stopped for drink-driving for a second time, a fingerprint check revealed his true identity.

That landed him in more trouble, and he pleaded guilty at Warwick Crown Court to driving with excess alcohol, driving while disqualified and having an identity document with improper intent.

Bondars, 37, of King Street, Rugby, was jailed for a total of 14 months and banned from driving for three years and seven months.




Prosecutor Oliver Wellings said that at 2.40am on New Year’s Day a Rugby CCTV operator saw someone staggering before getting into a Ford Focus, so alerted the police.

Officers went to Railway Terrace where they spoke to Bondars, who gave a false name and showed them a driving licence in that name.


He was given a breath test and was found to have an alcohol reading of almost twice the legal limit, so was arrested.

His fingerprints were taken and when they were checked his true identity was revealed – as was the fact that he had been banned from driving for excess alcohol in December 2019.

When he was questioned, Bondars said that after being banned he had paid £400 for a licence from a website because he needed to drive to get to and from work.

Christopher O’Gorman, defending, said Bondars had worked since arriving in the UK in 2009, but began drinking after his long-term relationship broke down.

And Mr O’Gorman suggested that because he had been in custody since he was charged, Bondars could be given a suspended sentence.

But jailing him, Judge Anthony Potter told Bondars: “You had been convicted of driving with excess alcohol, and you went and did it again – but this time you made it worse.

“You had got into the habit of driving, ignoring the disqualification because you found it inconvenient, and obtained a licence of another person, but your ruse was discovered.

“The fact that you were subject to a community order [for the original offence] makes it more serious.

“The courts take a very dim view of people who get forged documents and attempt to use them in situations where they would be of obvious benefit.”

Bondars was jailed for eight months for the false driving licence, with consecutive sentences of four months for excess alcohol and two months for driving while disqualified.

Buy Photos

Buy photos online from the Rugby Observer newspaper.

Recruitment

Find a career you'll love with our free career finder website.

Printing

We can provide all of your printing needs at competitive rates.

Business Directory

From plumbers, to restaurants, we can provide you with all the info you need.