An 83-year-old partially sighted widow who has never held a driving licence has been convicted of failing to tax a car transferred into her name following her husband’s death.

The Reading pensioner told Birmingham Magistrates’ Court she did not understand that she had become the registered keeper of the Volkswagen Touran or the responsibilities that came with it.

Her husband of 64 years died on December 30, 2024, while he was the registered keeper of the vehicle.

The car was transferred into the widow’s name in April 2025 by her daughter’s partner in the hope it could eventually be used to take her to hospital appointments.

In a letter to the court, she explained that her husband had dealt with vehicle-related matters throughout their marriage.

She wrote: “I do not drive and have several disabilities that cause me to be housebound (including being partially sighted) and therefore, never understood that I was the registered keeper, with the responsibilities this brings.”

Her daughter’s partner subsequently applied for a Statutory Off Road Notification, known as a SORN.

The widow told the court: “I still have no idea what this means.”

The vehicle was later detected on a road after it had been taken for “evaluation/repair”, resulting in proceedings being brought against her. The Touran has since been scrapped.

Explaining her circumstances, she wrote: “I am a disabled lady of 83 years old, who has never had a driving licence and therefore no understanding of the vehicle tax process.

“I was grieving my husband of 64 years, with very little awareness of the situation around me.”

The pensioner pleaded guilty in writing under the Single Justice Procedure, which allows certain lower-level offences to be dealt with without a conventional court hearing.

She was given an absolute discharge, meaning the court recorded the conviction but imposed no punishment for the offence.

However, she was ordered to pay £242.92 in outstanding vehicle tax by mid-September.