Unlicensed driver knocked over a woman outside of a South Shields Lidl
A unlicensed and uninsured driver has been banned from the roads after knocking over a woman when he reversed outside the doors of a South Tyneside supermarket.
Faissal Al Fadhli, 38, sent her sprawling in the car park of Lidl’s outlet at Laygate, South Shields, in daylight on Saturday, September 6, borough magistrates were told.
Al Fadhli, of Longleat Gardens, central South Shields, felt a bump but thought he had been hit by another motor.
When alerted to what had happened, he stayed at the scene as passersby attended his victim, prosecutor Jonathan Moore said.
But he was found to be driving on an international licence and should have passed a test in the UK a year before the accident to make his motoring valid and legal.
No details of his victim’s injuries were available, and Mr Moore said they were likely minor, otherwise Al Fadhli may have been facing more serious charges.
Al Fadhli pleaded guilty to driving without due care and attention and without a licence and insurance.
Mr Moore said: “He was parked outside the front door of the Lidl supermarket. A lady came from the other side of his vehicle, behind his car.
“The defendant has reversed and knocked her over. He stayed at the scene. When interviewed, he said that he felt a ‘bang’ and thought that a car had bumped into him.
“He was holding an international driving licence. In regard to that, you can drive in the UK for a year before you have to take a test to get a UK licence. He has been a resident since 2024.
“It’s not clear what injuries the lady received but I’m sure that if it was more than grazes, it would have been a different charge.”
Ahmar Saeed, defending, said Al Fadhli had fully cooperated with police and entered early guilty pleas.
Mr Saeed added: “He didn’t run away from the spot, he stayed. There was no serious harm.”
For driving without insurance, Al Fadhli was fined £120, with £85 court costs and a £48 victim surcharge and handed six penalty points.
It triggered a six-month driving ban under totting, due to him already having seven penalty points on his licence.
There was no separate penalty for driving without due care and driving without a licence.
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