Hefty fines over "defective" motorbike

Wednesday 06 September 2017

Three men have been fined almost £3,000 amongst them over the supply, and driving, of a “defective” motorbike, without insurance.

The bike was described on court documents as having, “...defective lights, defective brake lights, defective suspension, missing foot pegs, stickers obstructing vehicle lights, no rear reflector and [a] dangerous defective foot brake.”

The vehicle was spotted by a Police officer in a condition which they considered to be so bad that they immediately ordered for it to be taken to Driving and Vehicle Standards (DVS).

33-year-old Sebastian Norman exchanged his Huoniao motorbike for 29-year-old Mustata Alin’s Honda XLR on 14 May this year.

In the case of Mr Norman, Advocate James Bell said in the Magistrate's court this morning that he “wasn’t aware of any issues with the bike” when the exchange was made, but that he “does accept that he is at fault” and “with the benefit of hindsight he should have got the bike checked.”

Mr Norman was fined £500 for supplying a vehicle in an unroadworthy condition with Relief Magistrate Sarah Fitz, presiding, warning him to "...be more careful in the future."

Mr Alin who didn’t drive the motorbike himself, but asked his friend, 32-year-old Adrian Bodovschi, to test it out, was fined £1000 for permitting the use of an unroadworthy and uninsured vehicle. 

Defence Advocate Bell, appearing for Mr Bodovschi, said that as the vehicle was in Mr Norman’s name, his client should be commended for making the admission that he drove the motorbike. Advocate Bell said: “Mr Bodovschi, in effect, wrote his own charges by volunteering evidence to the prosecution that they wouldn’t otherwise have.” 

Both men thought that Mr Bodovschi would be covered to drive the Huoniao by the third party insurance he has for his own motorbike, which they admitted to the court was wrong. Mr Bodovschi was fined a total of £1400 as well as having an endorsement put on his driving licence for the next three years.