A 25-year-old man was slapped with the maximum fine for driving without a licence yesterday after the Magistrate learned it was his eighth conviction for the same crime.

Devon Simmons pleaded guilty to the charge of driving without a licence before Magistrate William Francis.

Crown counsel Shade Subair requested that the Pembroke man receive the maximum penalty for the traffic offence, pointing out Simmons has seven previous convictions over the past two years.

Magistrate Francis asked Ms Subair the date of the most recent conviction and expressed shock when told it occurred in July of this year.

The maximum fine for driving without a licence is $300, but Ms Subair also asked that Simmons be barred from obtaining a licence for six months.

Mr. Francis asked Simmons why he continued to drive without a licence when he could just go to TCD and take a test.

"You have to wait over three months for the test," Simmons replied.

Simmons also suggested he was arrested on the same charge so many times because Police were targeting him.

"They didn't stop me because (I'm) without a licence," he said. "They just stopped me because they were bored."

But Mr. Francis said Police were more likely stopping Simmons because he was known to them and warned the man he would face jail if picked up again on the same charge.

He fined Simmons $300 and barred him from obtaining a motorcycle licence for six months.