Moray roofer banned from driving for three years

An 18-year-old roofer caught driving without insurance has been handed a three-year driving ban.

Appearing at Elgin Sheriff Court, Riley Russell was also ordered to complete 115 hours of unpaid work and will have to resit an extended test over the incident.

He had previously admitted driving without insurance in August 2024.

Fiscal depute Victoria Silver said police officers spotted the teenager behind the wheel, as the sole occupant in the car.

However, approaching the vehicle to speak with him after it parked up, they noticed a smell of cannabis coming from the vehicle which had no L-plates.

She added: “The accused disclosed at this time he’d taken out a temporary policy but that had expired.”

However, solicitor Megan Lee said Russell had “straightened himself out” since the incident and now works “very long hours with a roofing company”.

She confirmed that his employer was “aware of the proceedings and the very lengthy driving ban to follow”, but planned to “keep Mr Russell on”.

The teenager, the solicitor said, was “very reflective” about this “foolish and reckless” incident.

“He knows he’s put himself in great jeopardy,” she added.

Sheriff Olga Pasportnikov banned Russell from driving for three years, the statutory minimum, and ordered him to resit an extended driving test.

He was also ordered to complete 115 hours of unpaid work, discounted from 150 hours due to the timing of plea.

Russell also pleaded not guilty to charges of driving while disqualified from holding a license, driving without valid insurance and failing to stop on October 31, 2024, in a separate case.

He is set to appear again on July 14, with an intermediate diet on June 3.