A banned driver was caught by police as he drove while using his mobile telephone, a Court heard.

Eric Dean Risdon, 28, of Station Road, Wilsden, was due to attend Skipton Magistrates’ Court two days before Christmas charged with driving while disqualified, without insurance and while using a mobile phone. However, he had got his dates mixed up and had been arrested at home, the court heard on Wednesday.

Magistrates, after being told Risdon was only four months into a 36-month driving ban and had earlier breached a court order, told him they had considered an immediate prison sentence.

But instead they sentenced him to 12 weeks, suspended for two years, for driving while disqualified and four weeks for not answering his bail, both to run concurrently. He was also banned for a further 40 months and given a two-year community order, with supervision and 200 hours’ unpaid work.

Risdon admitted all charges and failing to attend court.