HERE'S a selection of court cases featured in this week's Barnsley Chronicle:
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A ROMANIAN man who was visiting family in Royston ended up in court after being caught driving his cousin’s vehicle without insurance.
Piot Demengi, 34, arrived in Barnsley on October 10 but wanted to gain experience driving on the left-hand side of the road so took the car without consent.
Julian Brook, defending, said Demengi intended on driving locally but actually ended up lost on the A64 near York.
Demengi, who does not speak English, had no credit on his phone to alert anyone or a signal to access a satellite navigation system and was eventually picked up by police after his cousin, who could not trace him, reported the car as stolen.
He said: “To say he’s been stupid is an understatement and he laughs at himself now. He’s been a clot and didn’t think about his actions.
“He had to sleep in the car as he had no idea where he was. Unfortunately when the police found him, he couldn’t tell them the address where he was staying due to the language barrier and they locked him up until the court opened on Monday.”
Demengi, who pleaded guilty to driving without insurance and taking a vehicle without consent, was bailed until Thursday so a Romanian interpreter could be found.
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A MAN who shoplifted just one day after being released from prison has escaped another jail term.
Nicky Cook, of no fixed abode, was released on October 6 but was caught stealing razor blades from Morrisons in Barnsley.
Having just completed the 20-week sentence for similar offences, the 34-year-old claimed he resorted to shoplifting so he could sell on items to pay for food.
Philip Howard, defending, said: “He has suffered with drug addiction in the past and it’s destroying his life. He was released from prison and planned to sell whatever he got away with, but security alerted police and they caught him with the razor blades.
“He wants help with his addiction to turn his life around.”
Cook was ordered to take part in a drug rehabilitation order, given a nine-month community order and told to pay costs of £85 and an £85 victim surcharge.
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A MAN who had no insurance when he crashed into two cars has been banned from driving.
Shane Wilkinson, of High Street, Royston, collided with a car on Station Road, Royston, on September 7 last year and hit another vehicle when he attempted to reverse.
The 29-year-old, who denied having any part in the incident, failed to attend his trial following the smash and eventually appeared at Barnsley Magistrates’ Court on Monday after a warrant was issued for his arrest.
He was given a six-month driving ban, order to pay a £180 fine, costs of £300 and £350 in compensation.
