Van driver with child in footwell pulled over by police in Dover
14:00, 28 January 2023
updated: 12:42, 02 February 2023
Eagle-eyed officers pulled over a man driving a flatbed truck and found a child in the footwell of the vehicle.
Marcus Biles from Dover was stopped by officers after they spotted a child strapped into a seat in the van, but the child was strapped in at an unusual angle and they decided to approach his vehicle.
As they did so, they saw two small hands reach up to touch the other child's feet and so pulled Biles over and officers found the other child was being transported in the footwell of the van.
Not only that, when officers did checks on the 31-year-old they found he didn't have any insurance for the van and he was also banned from driving.
Biles of Elvington, was arrested and charged with driving while disqualified, without insurance and using a vehicle in a manner likely to cause danger.
He appeared at Folkestone Magistrates' Court on January 25 and admitted all three offences as the court heard Biles had been pulled over in Townwall Street in Dover on September 2 last year.
Dylan Bradshaw, prosecuting, said: "Officers on a mobile patrol were on Wesley Road observing traffic.
"They saw a flatbed truck with two adults in the front and a child strapped in at a weird angle. They then saw little hands reach up to reach the foot of the child [in the seat].
"The vehicle was stopped and officers saw a young boy about three to four years old stand up from the footwell."
District Judge Justin Barron also heard Biles had previously been banned from the road for five years and couldn't drive again until he took an extended test.
The court was also told Biles, a father of three, had at least 23 prior convictions but was trying to turn his life around and after a spell in prison had got rid of his cocaine habit and drink issues and has been out of trouble for a number of years, apart from these offences.
The court also heard Biles wanted to get his licence back and was keen to take an extended test so he could legally get back on the road again.
Judge Barron decided to adjourn sentencing as checks needed to be done on Biles' address to see if it would be suitable to have a curfew tag and device there.
He warned Biles he was considering giving him a community sentence.
He also indicated he may not ban Biles for a further period of disqualification as he was keen to get tuition and his licence back.
Biles was granted bail and will be sentenced at the same court on the afternoon of April 13.
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