A banned driver who climbed into his van’s passenger seat when he was spotted by police has been sentenced to a 12 month community order with 250 hours of unpaid work.

Matthew Wade, 21, of Alma Street, Laisterdyke, Bradford, was caught behind the wheel on the city’s Sticker Lane at 2.30pm on September 20 last year.

He admitted driving while disqualified bef-ore Bradford and Keigh-ley magistrates and his case was sent to Bradford Crown Court for sentence.

Yesterday, prosecutor Simon Haring told the Crown Court that Wade was banned from driving for an offence of dangerous driving and was in breach of suspended sentence order.

His solicitor advocate, Ashok Khullar, said his client had completed all the requirements of the suspended sentence order. He was a naive and immature man who was easily led by others.

Judge Colin Burn disqualified Wade from driving until March, 2015.

He also warned him that he would go to prison if he appeared before the courts again.