Hartlepool Car Dealership Boss Due in Court Over Driver Information Offence...

York Rd Motors Hartlepool

The used car dealership is set to appear before Teesside Magistrates Court today charged with failing to provide the details of a driver in a motoring offence,

3rd July 2025

The director of a Hartlepool-based car dealership is set to appear before Teesside Magistrates’ Court today (Wednesday 3rd July 2025), charged with failing to provide driver information when required by police.

Jonathan Tones, whose company trades under the name York Road Motors in Hartlepool, faces prosecution under Section 172 of the Road Traffic Act 1988. The offence typically arises when the registered keeper of a vehicle fails to respond to a Notice of Intended Prosecution (NIP), which is issued by the police following a traffic offence. Under the law, the recipient is required to supply details identifying the driver at the time of the alleged offence.

Failing to provide this information is a criminal offence in the UK, punishable by six penalty points on a driving licence, a fine of up to £1,000, and in some cases, a disqualification from driving.

While the charge has been brought against an individual, it's not uncommon for limited companies to face legal consequences in similar circumstances. When a vehicle is registered to a business, and the driver is not identified following a police request, the company itself can then be prosecuted. In such cases, the burden is on the business to show it exercised "reasonable diligence" in trying to identify the driver, or to prove that it was not "reasonably practicable" to obtain that information.

Where a court determines that neither requirement has been met, the company – and sometimes its directors – can face fines.

Today’s court appearance is set to determine whether Mr Tones, or his company, made efforts to comply with their legal obligations in this matter.