Snowdon 4x4 case goes ahead without accused Craig Williams
The trial is going ahead of a man accused of dangerous driving after allegedly taking his 4x4 up Snowdon twice, even though he has failed to turn up for the hearing.
Judge Merfyn Hughes said the case against Craig Williams will continue in his absence at Caernarfon Crown Court.
The 40-year-old defendant, of Cheltenham, denies driving a Vauxhall Frontera up the mountain twice in 2011.
The judge told the jury it must not hold his absence against him.
Mr Williams is accused of driving up the mountain along a public path and the mountain railway track on 3 September 2011, and again later that month.
On 3 September, staff from the Snowdon Mountain Railway found the 4x4 close to the summit and they called North Wales Police.
Shortly after they arrived, the prosecution said, Mr Williams approached them and told them it was his vehicle and he had driven it up the mountain.
He was questioned by the police and released on bail.
On September 29 the same vehicle was again found at the summit and it had a number of signs in the window saying "I made it to the summit".
The prosecution says "sheer stupidity" got the better of Mr Williams "not once, but twice".
The court was told Mr Williams used the Llanberis path and railway track to reach the summit.
The prosecution said no vehicles were allowed onto the track and the defendant's actions had put himself and others in danger.
The trial is expected to last two and a half days.