A mechanic demonstrated "pure stupidity" when he took out a customer's vehicle which had been left for repairs, Belfast Crown Court heard this month.

He drove the Nissan from the garage to a local shopping centre, despite being banned from driving, and while there he shoplifted a set of jump leads.

The court was told that 48-year-old Brian Emmerson, described as a "car addict", has more than 100 previous convictions for motoring offences, of which 30 relate to disqualified driving.

And in December 2023, while he was employed at a garage in Belfast as a mechanic, he was caught on CCTV driving the customer's vehicle. At the time he was not just banned from driving but he was also serving a suspended prison sentence which had been imposed in March 2023 for other driving offences.

Police visited the garage the following day and arrested Emmerson, who pleaded guilty to driving whilst disqualified, taking a vehicle without authority, driving with no insurance and theft, reports Belfast Live.

A pre-sentence report for the court described "cars being an addiction in his life". Emmerson, a father of two from Bryansford Place in Belfast, had also told a probation officer that his actions on the day were "pure stupidity", the court heard.

Judge Gordon Kerr KC imposed a 28 month sentence for the four offences, to be served half in prison and half on licence. And he banned Emmerson from driving for two years.

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