A 26-year-old father from Dudley has avoided immediate jail despite being caught driving while disqualified and uninsured on the M6, just weeks after his first child was born. Dawid Rapczynski, of Parsons Street, Dudley, was pulled over by police on June 18 as he drove an Audi A6 northbound on the motorway. He later admitted he was taking his "poorly" mother home after she had visited Nottingham.
Birmingham Magistrates' Court heard Rapczynski was already subject to a driving ban imposed for excess alcohol. District Judge Murray said the timing of the offence was particularly surprising given the new baby. "If my maths is correct the baby would have been two months then, I'm surprised that immediately after the baby was born, you decided to breach a court order," the judge told the court.
Guilty plea and defence mitigation
Rapczynski pleaded guilty to two offences: driving while disqualified and using a motor vehicle without third party insurance. His defence solicitor, Ms Ali, conceded that no emergency justified the journey. "He doesn't have a substantial reason where it would be an emergency situation," Ms Ali said, according to court reports.
The court was told that Rapczynski wanted to help his mother, who was feeling unwell, but the trip to Nottingham and back was not considered a legal excuse for breaching the ban. Driving while disqualified is an offence that can carry a custodial sentence, and magistrates have the power to lengthen an existing ban or order vehicle forfeiture.
Sentence and warning
District Judge Murray handed Rapczynski a 24-week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months. He also imposed an additional 18-month driving disqualification, which will run after his current ban expires, giving a total ban of 31 months. Rapczynski was ordered to pay £239 in costs and statutory charges.
The judge warned: "If you drive while disqualified, you will go to prison." The suspended sentence will remain on his record for a year; any further offending within that period could trigger the immediate activation of the jail term.
The judge did not order an immediate custodial sentence, instead opting to suspend the 24-week term for a year. In explaining the sentence, he noted the seriousness of driving while disqualified but acknowledged the guilty plea. The discount for a guilty plea can reduce a sentence by up to a third, though the court did not state the exact reduction applied. Suspended sentences are intended to offer offenders a final chance to avoid prison while retaining the threat of custody if they reoffend.
Consequences of driving while banned
Under UK law, driving while disqualified is considered a serious matter because it undermines court orders and can put other road users at risk. Offenders face a maximum of six months' imprisonment, an unlimited fine, and possible forfeiture of the vehicle. Using a vehicle without insurance can lead to separate fines and six to eight penalty points, although points are of little relevance to someone already disqualified.
The case also serves as a reminder that a disqualification is not a complete obstacle if the driver chooses to break the law. Insurance companies routinely refuse claims involving uninsured or disqualified drivers, leaving offenders personally liable for any damage. Courts also treat repeat breaches as an aggravating factor, which may explain the consecutive ban extension.
Because Rapczynski was uninsured, any accident he caused could have left victims without compensation. The Motor Insurers' Bureau (MIB) exists as a safety net for such situations, but it also highlights the burden uninsured driving places on law-abiding motorists, who fund it through their insurance premiums. Courts regularly take this wider social harm into account when sentencing.
Background and next steps
Rapczynski was stopped on the M6 northbound, a key route from Birmingham towards the North West. BirminghamLive reported the hearing at Birmingham Magistrates' Court, where Rapczynski appeared in person. The paper quoted the judge and defence solicitor, and noted that Rapczynski had been banned for excess alcohol prior to this incident.
The new driving ban means Rapczynski will be unable to drive for a combined period of 31 months, on top of the time already served under his original disqualification. He must also pay the £239 court bill. The suspended prison sentence is designed to act as a deterrent, and the judge made clear that further offending would likely lead to custody.
