Grieving widow with cancer prosecuted for not insuring dead husband's car

An 81-year-old widow in Liverpool was convicted through a fast-track Single Justice Procedure after her late husband’s car was transferred into her name without insurance. The DVLA identified that the vehicle had not been insured by the new registered keeper on 3 December. She said the transfer happened after her husband died and that she was unfamiliar with insurance requirements. She also stated she had been unwell, stayed with her daughter in London for support and care around Christmas, and did not receive earlier correspondence. She later received a cancer diagnosis and was undergoing hospital treatment. The court accepted her guilty plea and considered her mitigation request, but prosecution proceeded.

"I am 81 years old and was recently widowed following the death of my husband late last year. During this difficult period, the vehicle was transferred into my name and I was unfamiliar with the insurance requirements following the transfer. I had also been unwell since before Christmas and spent a period staying with my daughter in London for support and care. As a result, I did not receive the earlier correspondence regarding this matter and was unaware that there was an issue requiring my attention."

"Since then, I have sadly been diagnosed with cancer and have been undergoing hospital treatment. This has been an extremely distressing and difficult time for me. I would never intentionally keep a vehicle uninsured, and this situation arose due to confusion, illness, bereavement and absence from home rather than any deliberate action."

"Magistrate Ellie Parry, sitting in Lincoln, accepted the woman's guilty plea to a charge of keeping a motor vehicle which does not meet insurance requirements (Local Library) She added: I respectfully ask the court to take these circumstances into consideration when deciding the outcome of my case."

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