Man with a fraudulent Portuguese driving licence involved in Portadown collision appears in Craigavon Court

Martins Nuno Christiano Da Silva, aged 34, from Reynolds Court, Portadown was accused of driving a Renault Megane on January 20 last year without a valid driving licence and in possession of a forged document with intent to deceive.

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He is also accused of, on the same date, driving without due care and attention and driving without insurance on Tavanagh Avenue in Portadown.

Craigavon Magistrates Court heard that on Thursday, February 20, 2022 police received report of a road traffic collision in Portadown at 4.45pm. The injured party alleged she was waiting at traffic lights static when the defendant’s vehicle collided into the back of her vehicle. The injured party alleged that they exchanged details and the defendant accepted liability. However, following inquiries the injured party discovered the defendant was not insured.

On March 4, 2022 police attended the defendant’s home address where he produced a suspected fraudulent Portuguese driving licence. The police confirmed the licence to be fraudulent and Interpol confirmed the defendant was not a holder of a Portuguese driving licence. Furthermore he was not insured to drive the Renault Megane. He was arrested and interviewed and disputed the injured party’s account of the collision.

He accepted the issue regarding the driving licence and said he had got it on the internet and agreed he would not be insured due to the fraudulent licence.

Defence barrister David McKeown said: “This is a man who maintains he did an online course for the theory part of his licence. He felt that was sufficient. He has come to his sense and has not been driving since March. The vehicle has already been sold.”

District Judge Bernie Kelly said: “This is his word. The man who said he had passed a driving test and had legitimately got a licence, had insurance and gave a couple of versions of the accident.”

Mr McKeown said his client had been working well in the jurisdiction for Moy Park but this work has stopped as he was unlawfully on the road so he has lost that employment. He said the defendant had been ill but is hoping to return to employment this year. He is willing to consent to a community based order.

“This is a man who needs some assistance with his thinking skills and I would request leniency in the circumstances,” he added.

District Judge Kelly said: “The fraudulent use of a driving licence is a very serious matter. That was compounded by your insistence that you had passed a driving test and had a valid licence which you knew not to be true. That resulted in that you didn’t have valid insurance. You admitted driving into the vehicle in front.”

For the fraudulent use of the false Portuguese driving licence, a Community Service Order of 120 hours was imposed.

For having no driving licence he was fined £100 and disqualified from driving for six months and a £25 offender levy. He was fined £250 for having no insurance and disqualified from driving for six months. For careless driving he was fined £100 and disqualified from driving for six months.