A DISQUALIFIED driver who police caught driving three times avoided jail yesterday for the sake of his young family.

The fiancee and nine-month-old baby of scaffolder Tony Carter, of Middlesbrough, would lose their home if he was sent to prison, said the judge at Teesside Crown Court.

David Brooke, prosecuting, said the 25-year-old was double the alcohol limit when he drove a Vauxhall Nova in Low Lane, Middlesbrough, in May 1999.

He fled from the car but police caught him after a chase on foot.

In November of the same year, Carter drove through two red lights in Middlesbrough as he tried to escape the police, before they used a Stinger device to stop his car. Finally, he was caught driving again on the A1M at Boroughbridge in June 2000.

Carter was first disqualified in 1996 and again the following year.

Christine Egerton, defending, said that Carter had been in prison since he was arrested at his home last Saturday on a court warrant. She said that he was extremely scared about his fate because he would lose his job, his home and his family if he was given a prison sentence.

Judge Peter Fox told him: "You have got as close to that prison door as anyone ever gets.

"But I am going to let you continue to work and support your family, mainly because you seem to have put these offences behind you, and also because I think it would be of disproportionate harm to your young family."

Carter, of Melville Walk, Netherfields, Middlesbrough, was ordered to do the maximum community punishment of 240 hours, fined £1,000, disqualified for three years and must pass an extended driving test before applying for a new licence.

He admitted driving with excess alcohol, dangerous driving and driving while disqualified and without insurance three times.