Suspended sentence for Alford man after driving while banned

Wesley James Barnett, 34, of St Wilfrids Close, admitted driving whilst disqualified and as a result breaching a conditional discharge imposed for theft in December, when he appeared before Boston Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday (January 31).

Prosecuting, Jim Clare said police found Barnett, who had been disqualified from driving last September, driving his Hyundai car in Skegness at 10am on January 3.

Mitigating, David Eager said there were no aggravating features, apart from him driving so recently after the ban had been imposed.

He said Barnett was on a rehabilitation order and was doing well, according to the Probation Service, and said that sending him into immediate custody would set him back on that.

He said he had been driving because his former partner had called him to tell him their child had gone missing from school and he had been going over to help to look for him.

Barbara Newman, for the Probation Service, said Barnett was not suitable for a curfew or unpaid work and was engaging well with his community order and working with Addaction.

Barnett was given an eight week prison sentence for the driving offence and a one week consecutive sentence for breaching the conditional discharge, suspended for two years.

He was also ordered to pay £200 in costs and charges.