A GULF War veteran who defied a driving ban four times in three days was jailed yesterday.

Adrian Stewart walked from court on bail on March 8 having admitted a string of offences, including driving while disqualified.

He collected his car from Harrogate railway station car park and was stopped by police within a mile, Harrogate magistrates heard.

Stewart, 30, pleaded guilty to four counts of driving while disqualified, and four of not having insurance. He also admitted drink-driving, not having a licence, test certificate, and failing to answer bail.

Presiding magistrate Nancy Scruton told Stewart he had shown a blatant disregard for the court's ruling and jailed him for four months. He was also banned from driving for a year.

David Tucker, prosecuting, said Stewart had been stopped by police on March 6, twice the following day, and again on March 8.

Each time, he was defying an interim disqualification imposed on February 15 following a positive breath test after his car ran into the back of another vehicle.

In mitigation, Geoffrey Rogers said Stewart came to Harrogate from Northern Ireland to begin a new life after his marriage broke down.

He had spent three years in the Army, fighting in the Gulf War, before being invalided out with post traumatic stress syndrome.

He could not remember why he had defied the driving ban on two occasions, but on the third he had been collecting parts for his Ford Capri to repair it before selling it, to get rid of the temptation.

By the time of his court appearance he had struck a deal on the car and left it at the station car park for collection by its new owner.

He then got a message to say the buyer had been delayed at work and decided to drive it to his home, when police stopped him.