Banned driver who got behind the wheel six times is jailed

A disqualified driver who ignored his ban for the sixth time to fetch medication for his heavily pregnant wife has been jailed.

Atilla Tauz said he needed to help his diabetic wife, who was eight months pregnant at the time.

But Kirklees magistrates told him that he had an appalling driving record and could have walked to his nearest pharmacy - just half a mile away from his home - instead.

Tauz, of Valley Drive in Thornhill, pleaded guilty to driving whilst disqualified and using a vehicle without insurance.

He was pulled over by police as he turned onto Town Hall Way in Dewsbury on April 13.

Prosecutor Alex Bozman told magistrates that police intelligence showed that the 51-year-old was a banned driver.

Tauz held five previous conviction for driving whilst disqualified and last March was sentenced to a term of imprisonment for 29 weeks.

Daniel Metcalfe, mitigating, said that while his client held an “unenviable record” there was compassionate reasons behind his decision to drive.

He told magistrates: “At the time his wife was eight months pregnant and had chronic problems with diabetes during the pregnancy.

“Her blood sugars would be up and down and that was sporadic on a daily basis.

“Mr Tauz had to drive to the pharmacy to pick up medication for his wife for this purpose.

“She gave birth three weeks early and their son was medically induced because of the complications with diabetes.

“It was poor reasoning but he did it for the benefit of his wife who was in difficulty.”

Mr Metcalfe added that Hungarian-born Tauz’s wife didn’t drive and a male friend, who usually offered to drive her, had gone away to Germany the day previously.

He said: “He was left between a rock and a hard place and made the decision to use the vehicle.”

But magistrates dismissed his excuse, telling him that he could have easily walked to his nearest pharmacy.

They sentenced him to 21 weeks in custody and banned him from driving for a further 24 months.

He will have to pay £115 victim surcharge upon his release from prison.