Forres car hire worker caught driving while banned twice in three weeks

A FORRES man admitted making "extremely foolish decisions" before being sentenced for driving while disqualified twice within a three-week stretch.

Arkaduisz Urbaniec (26), of Twinning Link, Forres, was sentenced at Elgin Sheriff Court on Thursday, June 1.

He had previously pleaded guilty to driving while disqualified on both April 12 and May 1, 2023.

Fiscal depute Karen Poke said that, on April 12, Police spotted Urbaniec in a car at Twinning Link.

Deciding to stop the vehicle for a "routine document check", the police officer confirmed he was driving while disqualified.

She said: “On this occasion, he was the sole occupant in the vehicle.”

However, less than three weeks later, on May 1 Police found Urbaniec driving on Fleur's Drive with a child in the car.

Solicitor Matthew O’Neill, representing Urbaniec, said he “accepts he has made extremely foolish decisions."

“He apologises for having gotten behind the wheel on both occasions and he should have known better."

Mr O'Neill said that, though Urbaniec had kept his job at Enterprise Car Hire despite his previous driving ban, a fresh disqualification may leave him out of work.

“He has been in full time employment for the entire time he has been in the country," Mr O'Neill said.

“He is currently employed at Enterprise Car Hire.

“He has been able to retain his employment, despite the disqualification.

“As someone that can’t drive, in that field, he is now at risk of losing his employment with another disqualification."

Sheriff Gordon Fleetwood handed Urbaniec 100 hours of unpaid work as an alternative to custody, and disqualified him from driving for two years.