Trucker who drove with feet goes to jail

A trucker who livestreamed a video showing him driving with his feet was handed down a prison sentence by a Larnaca district judge on Thursday.

The man's online video, which showed him driving a truck on the highway with his feet on the steering wheel, went viral last year while also drawing unwanted police attention.

A female judge sentenced the man to 40 days in prison while also suspending his license for 9 months, saying his behaviour was “so dangerous and reckless, making immediate imprisonment an appropriate punishment."

His lawyer had previously pleaded with the judge to show leniency, saying her client was divorced and planned to put his two children through college.

“In case of a prison sentence, he would automatically lose his professional license,” the lawyer had argued, adding that his client had a clean criminal record.

He also takes care of his sick father both financially as well as giving frequent rides to the hospital. The judge said she took these factors into consideration before sentencing.

Last month, the 43-year-old trucker who lives in Limassol pleaded guilty in a Larnaca District Court to charges of reckless driving as well as operating a motor vehicle without a heavy vehicle roadworthy certificate.

He had initially denied violating the hands-free law, after he was questioned by police over an online video that appeared to show his feet on the steering wheel of a semi truck in motion on the Nicosia-Limassol highway near Kofinou.

His video had gone viral with police quickly getting wind of the stunt and tracking him down using social media information but also analyzing the scenery along the highway.