Police made Dersingham man call girlfriend when they stopped him driving her car without permission, court told

A driver who admitted taking his girlfriend's BMW car without her permission to go to a shop was made to ring her and tell her what he'd done, a court has heard.

Tom Caunt, of Beech Drive, Dersingham, jumped in the 320D on New Year’s Eve 2020 while she was out walking the dog.

Police stopped him in Hunstanton Road, Heacham, after following the 30-year-old from Redgate Hill on the A149, Lynn magistrates heard on Thursday.

A check showed that Caunt’s licence had been revoked and he was not insured either.

“The BMW was registered and insured to another person,” said prosecutor Collette Harper. “The defendant was asked if she knew he had it and his response was ‘no’.

“He was then told to ring that female.”

Caunt, who admitted taking a vehicle without consent, driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence and having no insurance, told the bench: “I shouldn’t have done it.

“I was just going out to the shop. My girlfriend was out walking the dog. Mum was coming over – she’s part of our support bubble.”

He was given six penalty points, fined £140 and ordered to pay £50 costs plus a £34 victim surcharge.