A 24-year-old man caught driving his grandfather’s BMW 520D on two occasions without insurance has been sentenced to three months in prison, suspended for 18 months.

Kevin McLoughlin, of Monmurry Road, Brookeborough, was also banned from driving for 12 months and fined £200 when he admitted the offences.

A prosecutor told Fermanagh Court that on April 4, police saw McLoughlin driving the grey BMW at Main Street, Lisnaskea. A check revealed there was no insurance in place. He was given seven days to produce insurance but failed to do so.

The prosecutor said that on May 8, police saw McLoughlin driving the same BMW, turning into Courtney’s garage on the Moorlough Road, Lisnaskea. They spoke to him two days later, on Saturday, May 10, and he admitted: “I was driving the car.” The court heard that McLoughlin told police he had been insured with Brady Insurance and that five letters had been lost in the post.

Defence solicitor Gary Smyth said there had been a breakdown in communication and the insurance policy had lapsed at the time McLoughlin was detected.

Deputy District Judge Liam McStay told McLoughlin: “Whilst you did have insurance at one point it’s up to you to ensure that is kept in place. If it lapses, that is your responsibility.” He pointed out that McLoughlin had previous convictions in 2010 and 2012 for similar offences and told him he should have known the importance of insurance. He was stopped in April and the police drew his attention to the fact he was not insured but “you just kept on driving”.

He said McLoughlin had to be stopped from driving without insurance and could not be trusted to have cover in place.

“On this occasion I’m warning you, if you do this again, you will go to prison and for a substantial period of time,” stated the Deputy District Judge.