A joiner lied to his employer and drove to work for “a considerable period” despite being banned from the road for drink-driving.

Adam Rhodes, of Crosland Moor, was handed the 20-month ban last August after being caught driving while more than twice the legal limit.

But he was soon back behind the wheel as he feared losing his house due to financial problems.

The 37-year-old pleaded guilty to driving whilst disqualified and using a vehicle without insurance when he appeared at Kirklees Magistrates’ Court.

Kirklees Magistrates Court, Huddersfield

He was travelling in his work van along Field Lane in Batley on April 2 when he caught the attention of police, the Huddersfield court heard.

Prosecutor Vanessa Jones said: “The officers thought that he was using his mobile phone while driving and stopped him.

“When they did they discovered that he was a banned driver.”

In August last year Rhodes, of Church Avenue in Crosland Moor, was banned from driving for 20 months for an offence of driving whilst over the prescribed limit.

The ban runs until March next year and was imposed after breath tests upon his arrest showed that he had 77 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath.

This was more than twice the legal limit of 35 microgrammes.

Sam Jackson, mitigating, explained to magistrates that his client had served “a decent amount” of his driving ban.

He said: “He’s a joiner and after he was banned he found work very hard to come by.

“He had to travel to and from jobs and there was no other way he could do that given the amount of equipment involved.

Video Loading

“Then he started to suffer financially, was at risk of losing his home and started to work as a joiner again.

“He lied to his employer and said he had a licence and was driving his work van when he was stopped.

“He’s lost his job again and is again suffering financially as he is unable to work.”

Magistrates told Rhodes that he had driven for a “considerable period for reward” while being disqualified.

They sentenced him to 12 weeks in custody but suspended the jail term for a year.

He must complete 60 hours of unpaid work and 25 rehabilitation activity days, keeping all appointment days as directed by probation staff.

They banned him from driving for a further nine months and ordered him to pay £85 costs and £30 victim surcharge.