Charge of Driving Without   Care.

At Wigton Police Court, on Tuesday, Alexander Cochran BIRKETT, 53,  Curzon Street, Maryport, was charged with driving a motor cycle without due care and attention, near Brayton, on the 4th October.

Defendant pleaded “Not Guilty.”

Defendant was also charged with using a motor cycle without having an   insurance policy in force, to which he pleaded “Guilty.”

Henry BERWICK, grocer’s assistant, Hariston, said he was walking on the  left side of the road in the company of a friend, Sidney GRAHAM, and was struck   in the side by a motorcycle, which knocked him down and then crashed on the   other side of the road. It was ridden by defendant. The pocket was torn out of his over coat and also out of his jacket.

Sidney GRAHAM, coalminer, 90 Hariston, Aspatria, substantiated .

John Nattrass WILKINSON, 4 Bedford Square, Aspatria, said he was walking   along the highway accompanied by his wife. He saw the motorcycle coming and by the light of the motorcycle lamp he saw the two witnesses walking towards him, well on to their left side of the road. The motor cycle was zig zagging for about 30 yards down the road and he knew then it had struck something, and it fell on the opposite side of the road about two yards from the defendant. He picked defendant up and he appeared to be rather dazed.

Sergt. SINGLETON, Aspatria, said that defendant called at the Police   Station, Aspatria, in company with his father, to report the accident, and made  a statement. Witness asked defendant to produce his insurance policy, but he failed to do so.

P. C. ROBINSON, Maryport, said he interviewed the defendant, who did not produce an insurance policy within the five days he had been given. He gave  as his reason that it had been sent away to be changed from the name of  George HODGSON to George DIXON, the present owner of the motorcycle. Witness saw DIXON, who showed him a “cover note” dated the 12th October, for one month, so the machine was not insured at all on the day in question.

Defendant said the machine had previously belonged to his brother, and he   was under the impression that the insurance that the insurance policy was still   in force; he was on his way to deliver it to the person who had bought it.

Supt.THWAITE said the machine had already been to Wigton that night; it was just joy riding.

The Chairman said that in the first case it seemed to him that it was  
approaching a case of dangerous driving, but as he was a young lad and this was his first offence and also because the costs of the case were very heavy they were going to deal leniently with him and he would be fined 20/- and £1  11s  4d costs or one month.