A banned driver was shocked and surprised to discover he should not be on the road.

Jamie Jones, of Grove Lane, Penrhiwtyn, Neath Port Talbot, pleaded guilty to driving while disqualified and without third-party insurance when he appeared at Haverfordwest magistrates court on Tuesday, May 21.

Prosecutor Abul Hussain told the court that police conducted a stop-check on Jones’ Audi A3 while he was driving on the A477 at Milton at 8pm on April 27.

Further enquiries revealed that Jones was disqualified from driving until June 26.

Mr Hussain said: “This seemed to surprise Mr Jones, who said that he was not disqualified and was not aware of it.

The bench heard that Jones, 22, had been banned from driving for six months in his absence by Cardiff magistrates in December, after totting up points.

Mr Hussain added: “The defendant was apologising, and kept saying that he was not aware of the disqualification. This is his first time before the court.”

Mike Kelleher, defending, said Jones had given his new address to an officer who previously stopped him for having no insurance.

“He was expecting to receive notification of a court hearing through the post, but received absolutely nothing.

“He was driving with his girlfriend to Tenby to see her parents, and was completely shocked that his licence had been taken away. He was totally unaware. The officer says how shocked Mr Jones looked when he told him.”

Mr Kelleher added that Jones, a carpenter, was ‘full of remorse’ and would ‘certainly not’ have been driving if he had known.

“He had paid for insurance for the vehicle, which is null and void, so all that money was wasted.”

Magistrates fined Jones £276 and added six penalty points to his licence.

He was also ordered to pay £115 in costs and a surcharge.