Motorist caught behind the wheel - despite having THREE driving bans on the go

A motorist who had three driving bans running when he was caught again by the police has been jailed and handed another disqualification.

The judge told Izraar Malik that his jail sentences would get longer and longer if he continued to get behind the wheel during his bans.

The 28-year-old’s third disqualification was just a fortnight before he was spotted back driving in central Middlesbrough.

Prosecutor Emma Atkinson told Teesside Crown Court that a police officer recognised him as a rogue driver on November 19 when he drove a VW Passat to a house in Gresham Road, Gresham.

He came out with another man and he denied he had been driving, but he was caught as he attempted to flee.

Father-of-two Malik spent the next two months in custody waiting to be sentenced.

Miss Atkinson said that he had four convictions for driving while disqualified, he had been disqualified on a number of occasions, and he had three driving bans which were still active.

He was banned in September 2010 for dangerous driving, and in September 2013 he was disqualified for two charges of dangerous driving, and on November 5 last year he was given a suspended 12-week jail sentence and a ban by Teesside Magistrates for driving while disqualified.

He had 13 convictions for 28 offences.

Scott Taylor, defending, said that on the latest occasion Malik had driven about one mile through the streets of Middlesbrough.

A friend had asked him to pick up a parcel and he had foolishly agreed.

Mr Taylor said: “He has a girlfriend and two children, and it is clearly a question in court today of how long his custody will be.”

The judge Recorder Robert Spragg told Malik: “You have a bad record for driving-related offences.

“You clearly took absolutely no notice of what the court did when they imposed the sentence on the 5th of November.

“I take the view that neither a community sentence or a suspended sentence is appropriate.

“I hope you understand now that if you drive while disqualified you are more likely to go into custody, and the more often you do it the longer the sentences will get.”

Malik, of Abingdon Road, Middlesbrough, was jailed for 18 weeks and banned for a year starting from yesterday after he pleaded guilty to driving while disqualified and without insurance, and a breach of a suspended jail sentence.