20-year-old who ‘didn’t know you need a licence’ was caught driving truck through town

A 20-year-old claimed he did not know you need a licence to drive after being caught behind the wheel of a truck.

Mahmoud Ramadan, of Norfolk Street in Lynn, appeared at the town’s magistrates’ court on Thursday charged with three offences.

He pleaded guilty to driving without insurance, without a licence and while using a mobile phone.

Crown prosecutor Holly Postle told the court that all three offences were committed on October 9. At around 4pm, police had spotted Ramadan driving a “large commercial vehicle”, a Ford truck, while using his phone – which was held in his right hand.

Officers followed the defendant as he turned left onto Old Sunway in Lynn, eventually bringing him to a stop. When they approached him, he was still using the phone.

Ramadan confirmed at the time that he held no driving licence in the UK or any country, and was therefore not insured to drive.

Ms Postle said there was initially “some confusion” regarding the name Ramadan gave police, but this was put down to language barriers.

Appearing unrepresented in court and speaking through an interpreter, Ramadan said: “I wasn’t aware that you had to hold a valid licence to drive a vehicle.

“I wasn’t aware that it wasn’t allowed either to be using a phone while driving.”

When asked who the truck he was driving belonged to, he told the court it was a friend’s.

Magistrates, led by Ginny Hutton, dealt with Ramadan’s no insurance matter by disqualifying him from driving for six months.

He was also fined £120, and will pay £105 in court costs and a £48 victim surcharge.

His licence was endorsed for the other two offences.