Illegal motorist who forgot he was banned from driving spared jail when he appears before a judge

The case was heard at Teesside Crown Court.

Daryl Rickerby, 26, was disqualified for dangerous driving in April last year until he passed an extended driving test.

Prosecutor Emma Atkinson said that police stopped Rickerby driving a silver Peugeot in York Road, Hartlepool, just after midnight on April 18 when he thought his ban had finished.

But she said that he had forgotten that he needed to pass the extended driving test.

Martin Scarborough, defending, told the judge at Teesside Crown Court: "He was caught because he had not passed the extended test."

Rickerby, of Amberton Road, Hartlepool, pleaded guilty to driving while disqualified and without insurance

Judge Stephen Ashurst told him: "You believed that your disqualification had come to an end, but you had been told that you must not drive again until you had passed the extended driving test."

The judge said that he would not activate an eight months suspended jail sentence imposed with the original ban.

He gave Rickerby a six months community order with a further 10-days rehab bringing his total up to 50 days, and disqualified him for six more months until April 20 next year .