A disqualified driver who hurled a tirade of abuse at police officers after being approached in Kilgetty has been handed a community order and a further driving ban.
Twenty-three-year-old Kieran Jeffrey Coughlin, of Honeysuckle Close, Rassau, Ebbw Vale appeared at Haverfordwest Magistrates Court on Tuesday, to plead guilty to a charge of driving motor vehicle whilst disqualified; and using a vehicle in a public place with out third party insurance.
Prosecutor Vaughan Pritchard-Jones told the court that a police officer conducting routine checks on vehicles on Sunday, August 25 in the Pentlepoir area spotted the Suzuki Swift vehicle that Mr. Coughlin was driving at around 5.30 pm, and flagged it up as it was registered to a female driver.
The officer followed the vehicle into a housing estate in Kilgetty but lost sight of it, before Mr. Coughlin appeared along with a lady and a fifteen-year-old boy.
When approached by the police officer, the defendant denied being the driver of the vehicle and became very abusive and aggressive, stating that they had no proof that he had been driving the car.
Mr. Coughlin launched a tirade of verbal abuse at the officer which included the use of homophobic language, whilst he also threatened to ‘punch his face’ in.
Back up was called and the defendant who continued to be abusive was arrested.
Mr. Pritchard-Jones explained that the defendant had been disqualified from driving in March of this year, and his ban had been due to run out on September 6.
Defence solicitor Mark Layton said his client who was a trainee brick-layer, had made full admissions to police when interviewed.
“He had no idea that he was a disqualified driver and must have received a ban for totting-up points. He had moved address and clearly did not know. He told officers that if had known about the ban, then he would not have got behind the wheel of the car,” added Mr. Layton.
Magistrates handed Mr. Coughlin a community order with 80 hours of unpaid work. He was also disqualified from driving for six months, and ordered to pay prosecution costs of £85 and a £90 victim surcharge.