A BUILDER has been jailed after being caught driving while disqualified for the second time.

Kenneth Brown, of Douthwaite Road, Bishop Auckland, was pulled over while driving a Ford Transit van down the A68 on March 20.

Police checks showed he had been given a 12-month disqualification in October last year, magistrates in Newton Aycliffe were told, and had since been given a suspended prison sentence for driving while disqualified.

He was arrested and fully admitted that he knew he was banned but had been doing some work for a friend.

Mr Brown, who was not represented by a solicitor in court, pleaded guilty to charges of driving while disqualified and driving with no insurance.

He said he had a job doing plastering and brickwork which required him to drive but he now had a new job, which meant a colleague picked him up each morning and dropped him off each night.

Brown was jailed for nine weeks and banned from driving for another 18 months. He was also ordered to pay a £15 victim surcharge.