As summer time was ending, I made a Statutory Off Street Discover (SORN) declaration for each bikes round final September. Nonetheless, as we had a gentle October I received street tax on my bike, or so I believed. Sadly, I had taxed the incorrect MT-09, i.e my accomplice’s and never mine.

The DVLA wrote to me with a suggestion of a positive, however as I used to be working away within the Center East throughout November and December I didn’t settle for the provide.

Now I’ve a Courtroom summons for ‘utilizing a car in contravention of a statutory off street notification (SORN)’. Firstly, do I actually should go to Courtroom? Secondly, I need to defend the case as I made a mistake. I’ve proof I paid street tax for an MT-09 and it doesn’t appear proper or truthful that I ought to get convicted for this.

Reply

Until the Courtroom has supplied so that you can cope with the matter by publish, the place you obtain a Courtroom summons you should attend on the date acknowledged. When you don’t, you danger moving into all types of hassle. The place Courts should cope with a ‘no present’, they’ll hit offenders with harsher sentences and within the worst-case eventualities put a warrant out for the arrest of these allegedly committing severe offences.

As for a defence, while it was unintentional in your half, you don’t have any defence since you did journey the bike while SORN. My recommendation is you plead responsible as quickly as potential and attempt to get hold of probably the most lenient sentence potential. The punishment for such an offence may very well be a positive of as much as £2,500 or 5 instances the annual responsibility chargeable, whichever is bigger, plus again responsibility. That’s along with Courtroom prices and a Sufferer’s Surcharge.

Andrew Prendergast

Extra Bikes March 2023