DISILLUSIONED with the legal system, a man charged with driving a car with no number plates, tax or insurance and with no licence, has taken to abiding by the Magna Carta, a court has heard.

Conrad Hendricks appeared in Swindon Magistrates Court on Monday after missing a trial last week. Magistrates heard that Hendricks, who cares for his mother who has dementia, had missed the trial as his aunt had died the week before, and he had been so busy trying to sort out her funeral he ran out of money and couldn’t get to Chippenham for the trial.

The court heard Hendricks had been spotted in Swindon Magistrates car park on June 24, 2015 in a vehicle with no number plates. Having had a number of incidents involving vehicles with fake registration plates at the time, a police officer went over to investigate. But when asked who he was, Hendricks refused to give his identity, as he did not subscribe to our laws.

He had taken the car off the road as he was suspicious of a line on the vehicle’s V5 logbook that stated that the document did not prove ownership, and he did not trust the DVLA. But when a friend called on him to take him to the family court for a hearing, he obliged.

Defending him Catherine Thornton said: “Due to previous brushes with the authorities in the past he has become disillusioned with the law as it stands. He has investigated the Magna Carta when common law ran the kingdom.

“I have highlighted that there could be some mental health issues, although the powers that be have decided that he doesn’t have any mental health issues.

“I have also advised him he needs to bring himself up to date with what is expected of him.

“He hasn’t had the benefit of any legal advice, I would ask that you don’t come down on him to heavily.”

The court also heard he had been involved in a car accident a number of years ago which had left him in considerable pain, which he said explained the small amount of cannabis found in his car at the time.

Sentencing him chairman of the bench Geoff Earl told him he would face a 12 month conditional discharge, while he was further fined £300 for driving without insurance and disqualified from driving for 12 months.

“If you do drive you will be committing a very serious offence and it is an offence that people are routinely sent to prison for,” said Mr Earl. We cannot see any way in which you are not liable for the full costs that the prosecution has incurred for the trial and you will pay the full costs as well as victim surcharge, bringing the total to £980.”