Mother-of-two, 32, had no idea she had been banned from driving and had no insurance because her abusive controlling ex did not let her look at her own post, court hears

• Kirsty Alderson was caught driving without insurance while fleeing her partner
• The 32-year-old did not know she was banned when stopped in Middlesbrough
• Mum-of-two Alderson told a court her then-partner had kept all of her post
• And she claimed that he had cancelled her insurance to fund his ‘drug habit’

A mother-of-two had no idea she was banned from driving as her ‘abusive ex was in charge of her post’, a court heard.

Kirsty Alderson, 32, pleaded guilty to driving while banned and driving without insurance following an incident on May 19 this year. 

But a court hearing heard the mother was clueless she was not allowed behind the wheel after her ex ‘cancelled’ her insurance policy to ‘fund his drug habit’. 

At a sentencing hearing before Teesside magistrates on Monday, the panel heard Alderson was fleeing from her then-partner when she was caught by police driving in her Nissan Juke at 2am.

Kirsty Alderson, 32, had no idea she had been banned from driving and had no insurance, telling a court her abusive ex-boyfriend had kept all her mail

The mother-of-two was pulled over by police at 2am on May 19 in Middlesbrough as she claimed to be fleeing her then-partner. Alderson is pictured at Teesides Magistrates’ Court on Monday

Prosecutor Lillian Hellevick said a Cleveland Police officer was travelling along Acklam Road in Middlesbrough when he spotted the driver. 

Random vehicle checks discovered the car had no insurance and further enquiries found Alderson was banned.

Ms Hellevick said: ‘There was no suggestion of any bad standard of driving but the vehicle had no insurance. He pulled the vehicle over and the defendant was unable to provide insurance. Checks also found she was disqualified from driving and on an expired licence.’

Alderson was unaware she had done anything wrong and said she had no idea she was banned from driving or had no insurance. 

The court heard the mother was handed a ‘totting up’ ban but her ex-boyfriend was in control of all the post and she never saw the letters.

She pleaded guilty to driving while banned and driving without insurance and has since been ordered to pay £239 by magistrates

In mitigation, Nick Woodhouse claimed Alderson had paid her former partner for her insurance and he showed her proof of the policy – before immediately cancelling it and pocketing the cash without her knowledge.

He said: ‘She never knew she was banned – he would take all the post so she never knew she was fined and disqualified all because of his controlling and coercive behaviour. 

‘She had no knowledge of previous fines. She gave him money to pay insurance but he cancelled the policy to fund his drug habit.’

A pre-sentence report was summarised in court which found Alderson was of previous good character. 

It was also claimed she is regretful of the incident. Magistrates ordered Alderson to pay £239 and gave the defendant six penalty driving points.

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