FROM drug drivers to overcrowded cars, these are 20 drivers who have been hit with bans or fines at magistrates' courts in recent weeks.

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A MOTORIST caught with six people in his five-seat car – including a child without a seatbelt on – has been hit with a large fine.

Valentin Serban, of Southend Road, Stanford-le-Hope, was driving a Peugeot at Eastern Docks, Dover ,when he was found with the overcrowded car on May 13. 

A child in the car was not wearing a seatbelt and did not have a booster seat, Medway Magistrates’ Court heard.

His car was also uninsured.

The offence was proved via the single justice procedure last Tuesday and the 35-year-old was handed a £660 fine and eight points.

AN uninsured driver caught behind the wheel on a major road has been handed a large fine.

Paul Hilz, of Rushbottom Lane, Benfleet, was driving a Volkswagen on the A68 in Bishop Auckland, Durham, when there was no insurance covering the car on April 11, Peterlee Magistrates’ Court heard.

The offence was proved via the single justice procedure on Tuesday and Hilz was fined £660 as well as being handed six penalty points.

The 43-year-old was also ordered to pay a surcharge to fund victim services of £264 and £90 prosecution costs.

A SPEEDING driver caught above a 50 mile per hour limit has avoided a driving ban.

Marcus Sharp, of Rochford Road, Southend, was behind the wheel of a BMW in St Peters Way Chertsey, when he was recorded going above the limit on January 16.

The 51-year-old admitted the offence and appeared at Guildford Magistrates’ Court on Monday. 

He was fined £233 and ordered to pay a £93 surcharge to fund victim services.

A MOTORIST caught above the drug drive limit has been banned.

Jamie Meredith, 36, of Meredene, Basildon, was driving a Mercedes Benz on the A406 in Walthamstow when found with over 400 micrograms of benzoylecgonine - a cocaine breakdown product - in his blood on May 30. The limit is 50.

He admitted the offence on Tuesday at Barkingside Magistrates’ Court and was banned from driving for three years and four months, ordered to take part in 80 hours of unpaid work and pay £85 costs and a £114 surcharge.

A VAN driver caught speeding on a busy motorway has been hit with a fine.

Lewis Comben, of Tower Avenue, Laindon, was driving a Ford Transit on the M4 near Newport in Wales when he was found going at 57 miles per hour. The limit is 50.

The 26-year-old admitted the offence via the single justice procedure on Tuesday.

He was fined £138, ordered to pay a £55 surcharge to fund victim services and prosecution costs of £90 at Newport Magistrates’ Court.

His driving record was also endorsed with three penalty points.

A DRUG driver caught behind the wheel on a main road has been banned.

John Olivero, 50, of Boyce Road, Stanford-le-Hope, was driving a Peugeot on Rheims Way in Canterbury, Kent, when he was found with 2.4 micrograms of THC - the principal psychoactive constituent of cannabis - per litre of blood in his system on March 16. The limit is 2.

He admitted the offence at Margate Magistrates’ Court last Friday and was banned from driving for a year, fined £307 and told to pay £85 costs and a surcharge of £123.

A BANNED driver caught without insurance has been jailed.

Darren Chambers, 42, of Moat Rise, Rayleigh, was behind the wheel of a BMW in Wellmeadow Road in Lewisham, London, when he was banned from driving and found without insurance for the car on August 12.

He admitted the offences and was jailed for 20 weeks at Bexley Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday due to a flagrant disregard for court orders - this being his fifth driving ban. He was banned from driving for four years and ordered to pay a £154 surcharge.

AN uninsured driver caught behind the wheel in Hadleigh High Street has been banned from the roads.

Ion Zahariea, 43, was caught driving a Ford Fiesta in the road on November 12 last year when there was no insurance covering his car.

He admitted the offence at Colchester Magistrates’ Court on September 5 where he was banned from driving for six months.

Zahariea, of Two Ball Lonnen, Newcastle, was also ordered to pay a £207 fine, £90 prosecution costs and an £83 surcharge to fund victim services.

A PICK-UP truck driver caught going above the limit on the A127 has been ordered to pay a large fine.

Guiliano Macalle, of Lower Dunton Road, Dunton, was driving a Mitsubishi L200 on the major road between Laindon and Wickford when he was recorded going above the 50 miles per hour limit on November 19 last year.

The 65-year-old admitted the offence at Colchester Magistrates’ Court on September 5 where he was fined £256.

He was also handed three penalty points, a £102 surcharge and prosecution costs of £90.

A SPEEDING driver caught above a main road’s limit has been hit with a fine.

Duncan Adams, 56, of Lower Road, Hockley, was driving a Ford car on Stockton Road in Easington Village, Durham, when he was caught going above the 30 miles per hour limit on November 12 last year.

The offence was proved via the single justice procedure and Adams appeared at Peterlee Magistrates’ Court last Thursday where he was fined £80, ordered to pay a surcharge to fund victim services of £32 and his driving record was endorsed with five points.

A DRUG driver caught above the limit in a  major road has been hit with a driving ban.

Tony Ellis, of Lilac Avenue, Wickford, was driving a Ford Transit van on the A12 when he was caught with 681 micrograms of benzoylecgonine - a cocaine breakdown product - in his blood on March 4. The limit is 50.

The 58-year-old admitted the offence at Southend Magistrates' Court on September 9 and was banned from driving for a year and three months. He was also fined £369.

He was ordered to pay £85 prosecution costs and a £148 surcharge.

A DRINK driver caught above the limit in Leigh Broadway has been banned from the roads.

Julian Duffen was driving a Ford Ranger in the shopping street when he was found with 134 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood on May 18.

The 61-year-old admitted the offence and was banned from driving for a year and two months at Chelmsford Magistrates' Court on September 11

Duffen, of Ongar Road, Pilgrims Hatch, was also fined £200 and ordered to pay £85 prosecution costs.

A DRINK driver found behind the wheel in a major south Essex road has been banned for three years.

Donatas Bajorunas, of Downer Road, Benfleet, was driving on the A130 in the town when he was found with 168 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood. The limit is 80. 

The 41-year-old was also uninsured. He admitted the offence and was handed the driving ban as well as a £120 fine at Southend Magistrates' Court on September 11.

He must also pay £85 prosecution costs and a £48 surcharge.

A MOTORIST caught behind the wheel at Festival Leisure Park while banned and uninsured has been handed a community order.

Kane Martin, 32, was found driving at the popular leisure park while there was no insurance in force and he was disqualified on May 23.

He admitted the offence at Basildon Magistrates' Court on September 12 and was banned from driving for three years. 

Martin, of Hornchurch Road, Hornchurch, was also ordered to take part in a 40-day accredited programme for thinking skills.

A MOTORIST who failed to provide a specimen for analysis has also been banned from driving.

Giedrius Pozemskis, 45, failed to provide a specimen of breath for analysis when suspected of having driven a vehicle in the course of an investigation into whether he had committed an offence in Grays on October 25 last year.

Pozemskis, of London Road, Purfleet, admitted the offence at Southend Magistrates' Court on September 13 and was banned for a year and six months.

He was also fined £270, ordered to pay a surcharge of £108 and £200 prosecution costs.

AN unlicensed and uninsured driver caught behind the wheel in Leigh has been banned from the road for half a year. 

Oluwatobiloba Falere, of West Street, Southend, was driving in the town when he was found without insurance covering his Mazda car on July 30 last year. He also did not have a licence.

The 32-year-old admitted both offences at Basildon Magistrates' Court on September 12 and was banned from driving for six months. He was also fined £346, ordered to pay £110 prosecution costs and a £138 surcharge.

A MOTORIST who jumped a red light at a pedestrian crossing has been fined.

Alexander Cunningham, of Castleton Road, Southend, was driving a Ford Mondeo when he failed to comply with the signal-controlled pedestrian crossing on Southchurch Road which was displaying a red light on September 7 last year.

The 69-year-old admitted the offence at Basildon Magistrates' Court on September 12 and was fined £72 and ordered to pay a £28 surcharge. He was also handed three penalty points.

A DRINK driver caught above the limit on a major road has been banned for almost two years.

Bogdan Just, of Bounces Road, Edmonton, in north London, was driving a Vauxhall Insignia on the A12 in Chelmsford when he was found with 71 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath on May 25. The limit is 35.

The 56-year-old admitted the offence on September 11 and was banned from driving for a year and eight months at Southend Magistrates' Court.

He was also fined £300, ordered to pay prosecution costs of £85 and a £120 surcharge.

A MAN caught driving without due care and attention on the motorway has been hit with a large fine.

Stephen Mallion, of Charlotte Avenue, Wickford, was driving an Audi on the M11 in Chigwell when he was found driving without due care and attention on November 6 last year.

The 53-year-old admitted the offence at Southend Magistrates' Court on September 12 and was hit with an £846 fine.

He was also handed six penalty points, £110 prosecution costs and a £338 surcharge.

A DRINK driver caught above the limit on the A13 has been hit with a driving ban.

Tendai Maocha, 32, was driving a BMW on the main road in Thurrock when he was found with 148 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood on February 24. The limit is 80.

Maocha, of Longhouse Road, Grays, admitted the offence and was banned from driving for a year and eight months and was fined £120 at Southend Magistrates' Court on September 9.

He must also pay a surcharge to fund victim services of £48 and prosecution costs of £85