[A] Brampton man failed to attend his trial to be held at the city’s Rickergate Magistrates Court today [Mon] and ended up having to pay a total of £1,260 in court costs and a fine.
Francis Morley, 38, of The Whins, Heads Nook, Brampton had previously pleaded not-guilty to using a hand held mobile phone while driving.
District Judge Gerald Chalk was told how on December 13 last year two police officers on mobile patrol witnessed the driver of a Renault van turn left on Warwick Road after coming from the direction of Tesco’s then onto Eastern Way, the officers vehicle was travelling from the city centre and waiting to turn right at the traffic lights at the junction
They witnessed the driver, now known as Francis Morley, holding an iPhone to the side of his face while driving.
Further along Eastern Way the van was stopped, Morley initially told the officer “it was hands free” and showed the officer the silver phone, he was told the two-officers had witnessed him holding the phone to side of his face while driving.
After hearing the case outlined by the prosecutor John Moran and verbal evidence given from an officer, the judge said the case against Morley was proved in his absence.
For using an hand held mobile phone while driving Morley was fined £600 and prosecution costs of £600 with a victims surcharge of £60, three-penalty-points were placed on his licence.
