The Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) has referred the case of Stefan Stefanov, who was convicted at Dungannon Magistrates’ Court in April 2022, to the County Court in Northern Ireland.

Mr Stefanov was pulled over by police in January 2022. He identified himself and gave them his Bulgarian driving licence which was issued in September 2020.

He was subsequently prosecuted for driving without a licence on the basis that his Bulgarian driving licence only entitled him to drive in Northern Ireland for a year after he became a resident.

Mr Stefanov applied to the CCRC in April 2023. His submissions included that he held a valid Bulgarian driving licence at the time of the offence and was incorrectly advised that this only entitled him to drive in Northern Ireland for 12 months after becoming a resident.

He also submitted that after his conviction he was told by the Driver & Vehicle Agency (DVA) that his Bulgarian driving licence authorised him to drive in Northern Ireland until the licence expired.

The CCRC considers that there is a real possibility that, as a matter of law, an individual with a valid EU driving licence is authorised to drive in Northern Ireland. The entitlement to drive does not cease after 12 months. The CCRC has therefore concluded that, had the legal position been appreciated, the offence would not have been prosecuted.

CCRC chairperson Helen Pitcher said: “The CCRC looks into criminal cases where people believe they have been wrongly convicted or wrongly sentenced, and I urge anyone in Northern Ireland who believes this applies to them to get in touch with us.”