A man banned from the road 17 years ago was still unable to legally drive because he couldn’t afford to take his test again, a court heard.

John Awork, of Tinderley Grove in Almondbury , was two-and-a-half times over the limit and knew that he was disqualified from driving when he got behind the wheel.

District Judge Michael Fanning warned the 61-year-old that he faced jailed after hearing that he had numerous similar convictions.

Awork was originally banned from driving in 1999 and was told then that his licence would not be returned to him until he took a retest.

Prosecutor Andy Wills told Kirklees Magistrates’ Court: “He said that he had not taken his test because of the charges involved.”

Awok pleaded guilty to driving whilst over the prescribed limit, driving whilst disqualified and using a vehicle without insurance.

Mr Wills told the Huddersfield Court that the Ford Fiesta he was driving was stopped by police at Shorehead near the town centre on August 5.

This was for routine checks but Awork smelt of alcohol and failed a roadside breath test.

He was arrested and further breath tests revealed that he had 91 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath.

This was more than two-and-a-half times the legal limit of 35 microgrammes.

Awork admitted that the car belonged to a friend named ‘Paul’ and that he was unsure if he had insurance.

The court heard that this was Awok’s fourth conviction for drink-driving and he had numerous convictions for driving whilst disqualified.

Judge Fanning heard that he had cared for his severely autistic son alone following the death of his wife in 1999 and would drink to excess.

He told Awork: “I think anybody who is prepared to gamble with people’s lives with this alcohol reading is on a sticky wicket.

“This is your fourth drink-driving offence coupled with a decision to drive when you knew that you were unable to.

“From where I’m sitting this is prison.”

Judge Fanning adjourned for further information from probation staff before sentencing Awok.