Peter was at risk of losing everything
Before arriving at our door in Exeter, Peter* was at risk of losing everything
Like many, since the cost-of-living crisis, Peter has been living in his van. He is allowed to stay on his campsite pitch for only 28 days at a time.
Without our support
Without our support, Peter would have really struggled. First of all, he needed heart surgery. With limited access to the internet, he needed our help to delay his court hearings due to ill health. As a result, we helped him get doctor’s notes to keep him out of trouble.
Hearing at Exeter Crown and County Court
Once he had recovered from his heart surgery, Peter was expected to attend Exeter Crown and County Court. Understandably, he felt incredibly anxious.
At risk of losing his home
As a delivery driver, the probability of getting caught or having an accident was always high. He had been through what he thought was a 50mph limit, but which the authorities said was a 30mph limit on the Devon freeway. So, this really was the end of the road for Peter. He was in crisis.
Having received a speeding fine, Peter expected to go over his 12 points and, as a result, receive a driving ban. He was at risk of losing his home.
Plea for exceptional hardship
Coordinator Ben supported him. We put in a plea for exceptional hardship due to his living situation and poor health.
Compassion at the bench
The judge listened and showed compassion for Peter’s circumstances. As a result, he was banned for 28 days, enabling him to stay on the campsite. He will also have a clean licence at the end of all this.
Peter takes it on the chin:
Ben helped me stay calm.
Ben steered me through the hearing and made sure that I didn’t make excuses. I needed to take it on the chin – I was speeding and that was that.
CASS+ knows the court system. If Ben had not been there, I would have said all the wrong things. We focussed on the fact that I could lose my home.
Lifestyle choices
Peter explained to us about his life choices:
I started out as a pilot in the RAF and then became a private pilot. When my business went under, I turned to delivery work.
As a delivery man, 75% of my income was going on bills to survive. I was feeling the pressure and my mental health was really suffering. I started to ask myself ‘what’s this all about?’. This was when I decided to live in a van.
Peter loves life on the road
Peter was at risk of losing everything. But now, he’s looking forward to life on the road.
He is looking forward to starting with a clean slate when the driving ban is up. We are excited for Peter because he’s going to take his dog Max on an adventure in Spain and then Morocco.
Get on touch
If you’re going through a crisis at court and need support, please get in touch with your local hub.
*Name changed to safeguard our client