Mark Ripley, 21, of St Lawrence Avenue, will have to appear in court the day before his birthday, in January, to defend himself against the charge of no insurance.

At Worthing Magistrates' Court, it was heard how Ripley had been stopped by police in Littlehampton Road, on April 4, for driving at 43mph in a 30mph zone, a charge he has been convicted of.

However, it was also heard that when police asked him to produce his driving licence, MOT certificate and insurance documents, he said he did not have them with him.

At court on Wednesday, December 5, he did produce the MOT and licence documents, which were checked by police in the building.

Following this, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) withdrew the charges of driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence and no test certificate (MoT).

Yet the CPS was not prepared to drop the no insurance charge.

Ripley explained to the court that since the offence in April he had sold his silver Mercedes and getting his insurance confirmed had proved difficult.

He did, however, hand over a letter from insurers Norwich Union Direct which stated he had a policy with the company at the time of the incident.

Magistrates indicated they were happy to accept the letter as evidence that he did have insurance.

But the CPS said only a certificate of insurance would suffice.
Gaynor Byng, for the CPS, even checked with a colleague from another court before confirming to magistrates the charge would not be dropped.

Mr Ripley was asked to enter a plea to the charge, to which he replied "not guilty".

He will now have to attend magistrates' court on January 29 for trial.