A SWINDON man who was found to be driving while disqualified and uninsured received a nine-week suspended sentence and has been banned from driving for two years.

Andrew Durham, 47, of Waverley Road, was stopped by a police officer in London Road, Devizes, on May 31 for driving without insurance and was then found to be in possession of five grams of cannabis.

At 8.30am in the morning, a police officer detected that Durham’s Skoda car was not insured, so stopped the banned driver.

North West Wiltshire Magistrates’ Court in Chippenham heard that it was the fourth time in the space of as many years that Durham had been convicted of driving while disqualified.

Gordon Hotson, defending, said: “My client was forcefully and unlawfully evicted from his flat in Calne, where the letter which said he was disqualified from driving was posted, and he therefore didn’t know he was disqualified.

“He has been in custody for 26 hours already which you should take into consideration.

“He is the director of a business which runs repairs for motor vehicles and his absence from the business may have cost it considerably.

“It was a disqualification of which he had no knowledge of. It should be dealt with in way of fine and points on his licence, which will make him a more careful driver."

In addition to the nine week suspended sentence and two-year driving ban, Durham must pay £565 in fines.