A DRIVER switched number plates on his vehicle to avoid detection by police, heard Skipton magistrates.

John Myerscough, 57, had recently bought the Iveco tipper for work, and had switched its registration plates with his other vehicle, which was insured, the court heard.

He was stopped by police on the A65 at Newby, near Ingleton, on June 2, last year, when a check revealed the plates did not tally with the registered vehicle.

Prosecuting, Melanie Ibbotson, said the registration plates were for a vehicle, also in Myerscough's ownership, and that they had been attached by plastic clips. Officers discovered it was also untaxed and that the Vehicle Identification (VIN) Number under the bonnet was different.

Myerscough admitted to the police that he had bought the vehicle at an auction a week earlier, and had wanted to avoid any Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras, adding that it had been a 'stupid thing to do'.

Myerscough, who admitted fraud by false representation, by displaying the wrong registration plates, of using a vehicle without third party insurance, and without a test certificate, had been naive and foolish, the court heard in mitigation.

He had bought the vehicle in order to find work, because he did not want to rely on the state, and had believed the insurance on his other vehicle, would cover him third party on the Iveco, said Mr Hussain.

"This is not a man with the ability to plan something extravagant. This was stupid, naive, and definitely foolish. If he was more heavily involved in crime, he would have tried to make up some excuse. This is something he will not repeat," said Mr Hussain.

Magistrates told Myerscough, of New Village, Ingleton, that they believed it had been a one off error of misjudgement. For the fraud offence, he was fined £225 and ordered to pay costs of £150 and a surcharge of £30. For having no insurance, his licence was endorsed with eight penalty points. There was no separate charge for not having a valid MOT certificate.