Banned Sheffield motorist was caught driving with £7,000 of outstanding fines

Sheffield Magistrates’ Court heard on January 22, how Osama Adulhakim Ahmed, 29, of Wensley Street, Sheffield, was spotted by police driving without rear lights on Petre Street, Sheffield, and was found to be disqualified.

Robert Coyne, prosecuting, said: “Just past midnight police officers saw a Ford Fiesta driving past them at speed and he didn’t have his lights on and for that reason they decided to pull the vehicle over.”

The court heard Ahmed has been banned from driving twice as a totter and his latest ban does not end until February and he has previous convictions for motoring matters and has accumulated £7,000 in outstanding fines.

He pleaded guilty to driving while disqualified and to driving without insurance after the incident on October 16.

Yvonne Wragg, defending, said Ahmed had taken a friend’s car and the rear lights had not been working.

District Judge Naomi Redhouse, who told Ahmed he has a terrible record, sentenced him to a 12-month community order with 80 hours of unpaid work and a Rehabilitation Activity Requirement.

He was also disqualified from driving for six months and must pay a £90 victim surcharge and £85 costs.

District Judge Redhouse said Ahmed's previous motoring convictions related mainly to document offences including driving without an MOT, a licence and insurance and he was getting in trouble because he was not opening his post.

She told him: “Open your post – especially the brown envelopes.”