Stephen is a sole trader. He had committed two mobile phone offences and faced a 6-month penalty points disqualification and faced a totting up ban. He needed his licence for his job. This is his story.
Over a 15 year period, he had built up a business dealing in the removal of waste, mainly rubble and scrap metal, from building sites. He has a 3.5 ton van which he drives from building sites to tips where he off-loads the waste. He is paid by the load and makes a living by doing as many trips as possible. In this way, he provides for his wife and children all of whom are entirely dependent upon him. Several of his children participate in activities in the evenings and weekends including one of his teenage daughters who swims at county level.
To reach this level she must train many hours per week and had done so for many years. All of the children are driven to and from their activities by the parents. However, were Stephen to have lost his licence he would have lost his income. He could have been unable to pay his mortgage and look after his family. He would not have had the income to fund his children’s extra-curricular activities nor would he have been able to drive them there.