Man gives police 19th fake name after arrest for driving while banned
Darren Stone appeared at Suffolk Magistrates' Court Picture: ARCHANT - Credit: ARCHANT
A career criminal with 18 aliases gave police another fake name when arrested for driving along the A14 while disqualified.
Darren Stone appeared at Suffolk Magistrates’ Court in custody on Monday after being pulled over in a Mini Cooper just 10 days after being banned from the road.
The 51-year-old, with a record of 41 convictions for 113 offences, was handed an interim ban by Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court on October 20 after he admitted drug-driving, without insurance or a licence, and obstructing a police officer in the execution duty at Rougham in February.
Stone, who was due to be sentenced on November 10, appeared on video from Bury St Edmunds police investigation centre on Monday to admit driving while disqualified and uninsured, and obstructing another two police officers, near Newmarket three days earlier.
Prosecutor Wayne Ablett said: “Police were contacted by a member of the public, who witnessed a Mini Cooper being driven erratically, coming close to collisions with other vehicles.
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“Officers attended junction 37 of the A14 and saw a male sitting in the driver’s seat.
“When they boxed the car in, the driver appeared confused and began to reverse the car, which rolled back down the slip road before coming to a halt.”
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Stone gave police the insurance holder’s name and was arrested on suspicion of driving while unfit through drink or drugs.
Following a fingerprint check, officers established his real identity and recent conviction.
The court heard Stone had previously provided police with four different dates of birth and 18 aliases, including Darren Green, Peter Hill and Matthew Padmore.
Mr Ablett said Stone, of Willingham Way, Colchester, had committed 16 offences while on bail and failed to surrender to the courts on eight occasions.
In 2016, he was jailed for 39 months for dealing class A drugs.
Mr Ablett successfully applied for magistrates to remand Stone in custody and adjourn sentencing for all matters until November 10 at Colchester Magistrates’ Court.
Lucy Osborn, for Stone, had asked the bench to grant bail and allow the planned completion of a pre-sentence report addressing potential treatment for alcohol misuse, adding: “While I understand he is heavily convicted and you will have concerns, I submit you can impose conditions that will allay them.”
