21-year-old banned driver spared prison

A 21 year old banned driver caught behind the wheel twice in three months has been spared a prison sentence.

Thomas Daniel Richards of Ballabrooie in Sulby appeared before High Bailiff Jayne Hughes at Douglas Courthouse.

He was convicted of two counts of driving while disqualified with no insurance and one of taking a car without its owner's consent.

Prosecutor Barry Swain told the court on February 7 Richards was found in a Honda Civic revving the engine - he told police he'd been moving the car to free up a parking space.

And on May 7, a member of the public called police after Richards forced her to take evasive action on Lezayre Road in Ramsey as he drove at speed towards her on the wrong side of the road.

The court heard Richards had previously served a jail sentence for defying his driving ban and committed the offences while on licence from prison.

Magistrates jailed him for nine months, suspended for two years and banned him from the roads for 24 months as well as ordering him to pay £500 costs.