Fine over untaxed van on public road

A man who thought he'd parked his untaxed van on private land was shocked to find out the Department of Infrastructure had adopted the road.

Last week, John Smithhurst Julian of Castlemona Avenue appeared before magistrates at Douglas Courthouse.

He admitted having an unlicensed vehicle on June 21 last year.

Prosecutor Becky Cubbon told the court the van had been photographed on the land, and was missing a tax disc.

In court, Julian's advocate Paul Glover said some time ago his client had asked the government about the land, only to be told it was unadopted.

But since then, the Department of Infrastructure had adopted the road and so it had become a public highway.

Magistrates chairman Belinda Pilling told Julian there'd been an obvious misunderstanding over the status of the land.

She imposed a conditional discharge, meaning he won't be punished for the crime as long as he doesn't commit any further offences for 12 months.