DUP MP for north Antrim Ian Paisley jnr was today handed a £250 (€320) fine and six penalty points for driving without insurance.
The 49-year-old politician did not attend Lisburn Magistrates’ Court, where he was formally accused of driving a Saab car on February 18th last year on the Laganbank Road in Belfast without insurance.
Defence barrister Steven Molloy told the court he had been instructed “to enter a plea” to the offence.
He said his client had been “oblivious that he had no insurance” as he believed the policy would have been automatically renewed.
“He insured the car the very next day,” said the lawyer, adding that Mr Paisley should be given “maximum credit” for his early plea and previous “very good character”.
‘Offender’s levy’
As well as the fine and penalty points, District Judge Rosie Watters ordered the MP to pay a £15 “offender’s levy”.
After the hearing, a spokesman for Mr Paisley said: “Ian has been driving since he was 17 and has always had car insurance until a completely accidental oversight on his part at the end of 2014 and the beginning of 2015. He was changing cars and hadn’t realised his insurance had expired.
“Some may appreciate that his mind was elsewhere at the time given family circumstances.”
Mr Paisley, whose father died in September 2014, has been an MP for North Antrim since 2010.