A FAILED asylum seeker told a court he would rather go to prison than carry out unpaid work in the community.

Sabah Dashti, 27, was jailed after he admitted driving while disqualified and driving without insurance.

Magistrates in Teesside heard that Dashti, of Essex Street, Middlesbrough, had committed the first driving offence on October 21.

He was sentenced to a 12-month community punishment order, which he refused to comply with.

He was then caught driving while disqualified and without insurance on November 30.

Magistrates were told yesterday that Dashti had applied unsuccessfully for asylum after entering the country last year.

Liz McGowan, for Dashti, told magistrates her client had fled Iraq after the death of his father and brother.

She said he had no income or rights and was living with other failed asylum seekers.

Ms McGowan said: "When he was sentenced, he told your colleagues he would not complete the order - he has no intention of working unpaid in the community. That is a moral standpoint he is taking.

"He explained if he could not work in this country for money, there was no way he would work for nothing.

"Whatever his reasons to do that, it limits what you and your colleagues can do today."

Ms McGowan said her client committed the offence on purpose.

She said: "He drove the car so he would get caught and go to prison. There is little else I can say - it is not the greatest of situations your worships find yourselves in."

Magistrates sentenced Dashti to three months in jail for the first offence and three months in jail for the second, to run consecutively.

He was also disqualified from driving for 12 months.