A teenager avoided a stint in prison after racking up close to $4,000 in traffic fines between September and October last year.

Alan Joell, 19, of Orange Hole Road, in St. David's, pleaded guilty to disobeying a traffic sign, having no third party insurance, no drivers' license and an unlicensed motorbike from September 15 to October 29, 2008. The total amount due for the fines is $3,800.

Joell was brought into court on a warrant after he failed to show up for court on two previous occasions.

His father assured Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner that the fines would be paid.

He explained his son was now working and living under his roof and that he would take the money from his son's paycheck if necessary.

"I saw he was going a bit wayward so I decided to put him under my roof," said his father. "I will make sure it works."

If Joell is unable to pay his traffic fines by February 7 he will face a default penalty of up to 100 days imprisonment, but Mr. Warner told him he could come back and request more time, if he "behaved" and asked the court "politely".