A MAN from Abergele has lost his appeal against a disqualification from driving, despite telling of the potential hardships he could face as a consequence.

Joshua Roberts, 25, of Rhyd Y Mor, was handed a 12-month ban from the roads on January 25 after an offence of driving uninsured.

Magistrates had also disqualified Roberts from driving for the same period in February 2022 following a speeding offence.

At Caernarfon Crown Court today (February 24), though Roberts said he risks losing his job at an autism behavioural home in Llanddulas if he cannot drive, his appeal was turned down.

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When quizzed by Alexandra Carrier, prosecuting, and Laura Knightly, defending, Roberts said he had taken up a management role at home last September, having previously been a support worker.

He did not attend his court hearing in February 2022 as he said was given one week’s notice and could not re-arrange his work commitments.

Roberts said that correspondence was sent to an address of an ex-partner of his, despite him never having resided there.

Only when a policeman pulled him over in his car and informed him, he said, was he made aware of the hearing.

After hearing of his disqualification via a letter from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency several days letter, Roberts “didn’t know what to do”.

He said his work is based either at the home in Llanddulas or at an office in Rhyl, and that he drives residents to hospital appointments in a company vehicle.

Roberts said there is no scope for him to return to his previous position as a support worker, as there are “no jobs available at the moment”, and that a taxi from his Abergele home to the Rhyl office cost him £48.

It would also be infeasible for him to return to previous job as a delivery driver due to his disqualification.

He conceded to the court that he is “bad with money”, and goes out for meals with friends weekly.

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Roberts is currently living at home with his mother, to whom he pays almost half of his monthly salary to cover living expenses.

Much of the rest of his income, he said, is put towards paying off bills and debts, while he said he currently has no savings.

He said he can make “up to five journeys in one day” as part of his role, and that if he were to lose his job, he would have “nothing”.

Recorder Duncan Bould, presiding over the appeal, said Roberts had been “prepared to bury his hand in the sand, rather than face up to the circumstances.”

He labelled Roberts “perfectly employable”, and said his financial struggles were “largely as a result of his own behaviour”.

As such, Roberts’ appeal was dismissed, and the disqualification was upheld.

He added: “While we appreciate the disqualification will create hardship, we do not believe it to be exceptional”.

Costs to the Crown Prosecution Service of £330 were also imposed.