A WOMAN from Blackburn has dodged a driving ban after telling the court of her obligations as a carer to family members.

Stephanie Finn, 36, of Fosse Close, admitted to driving her Renault Megane without insurance in Belfield Road, Accrington, on March 12, 2021.

Finn admitted the offence in a hearing at Preston Magistrates’ Court on February 9, which was adjourned until April 4 to consider if there are mitigating circumstances for not ordering her to be disqualified from driving.

Police can hand drivers a fixed penalty of £300 and six penalty points if they are caught without insurance; if the case goes to court, as in the case of Finn, the punishments include a driving ban and an unlimited fine. Police can also seize and crush the uninsured vehicle.

In the hearing in April, again at Preston, Finn, who appeared without legal representation, told the court that if she was banned from driving it would impact her partner’s day to day caring needs, impact on transporting her partner to medical appointments at various locations, and impact the general support, medical and caring needs provided to her partner.

She also said she provides support to her mother as a secondary carer, transporting her to medical appointments at a number of locations.

Considering her plea of exceptional hardship, magistrates opted against disqualifying Finn from driving, instead handing her a fine of £120, eight points on her licence, and ordering her to pay court costs of £110 and a surcharge of £34 to fund victim services.