Constantin Chiricenco, 52, of Angelica Grove in Newport, appeared before magistrates twice during July for two separate offences of using a mobile phone while driving. The court ordered him to pay £784 in fines, costs and surcharge, and endorsed his driving licence with six penalty points. On July 29, Chiricenco appeared before North Staffordshire Magistrates' Court after admitting a second mobile phone offence. For that offence, magistrates fined him £80 and ordered him to pay £120 costs, while imposing a further six penalty points. The combined total of 12 points made Chiricenco a "totter" under the penalty points system, meaning he faced a mandatory driving disqualification unless he could successfully argue exceptional hardship.