Sunderland plasterer who drove while banned given warning from judge

Thomas McArdle, 26, was given the stern words when he appeared at South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court to be handed a new six-month disqualification.

McArdle, of Athol Park, Hendon, was given the same length ban under totting on Wednesday, September 4, 2024, prosecutor Paul Anderson said.

But on Wednesday, October 30 of that year, he drove after being tasked with picking up his tools when a work colleague phoned in sick.

Later that day, he was pulled over by police patrolling in North Shields, North Tyneside, and checks showed he was disqualified.

McArdle entered a guilty plea to the drive ban charge last June and was ordered to cooperate with the Probation Service in the compilation of a report into his offence.

But he failed to do so after suffering serious injuries while riding a motorbike, his solicitor Peter Thubron said.

Mr Thubron revealed it had taken McArdle until December to return to work and he was keen to continue in that employment.

He gave the explanation for the no-show with Probation after District Judge Zoe Passfield asked, “The big question is, where has he been since June last year?”

Sentencing him to the new ban – along with 100 hours of unpaid work as part of a 12-month community order – the judge said: “He’s back to work and there’s no reason he can’t do some unpaid work.”

Addressing McArdle directly, she added: “I do give you credit for your guilty plea. It’s clear that you were driving for reward and very shortly after the disqualification was imposed.

“If you drive while you are disqualified again, you will go to prison, do you understand?”

Prosecutor Paul Anderson earlier told the hearing: “He was pulled over by police. He went on to say that someone had called in sick and he was in employment and he went to fetch the car and the tools.

“He is a plasterer and couldn’t do the job without them. He drove for two-and-a-half miles.”

McArdle must pay a £114 victim surcharge and £85 court costs.