A Lockwood man has been jailed after flouting his driving ban for the 15th time - to take his cat to the vet.

Lee Varley, 31, pleaded guilty to driving whilst disqualified and using a vehicle without insurance.

But a district judge sent him to prison, telling him that he put the injured pet’s needs before his own family.

Kirklees Magistrates’ Court heard that on November 5 Varley was stopped by police carrying out routine document checks.

He was banned from driving in October 2013 for 16 months after driving whilst disqualified.

Varley, of Lockwood Road, explained that his cat had been run over and he was driving to a vets to pick it up.

The court was told that the vehicle belonged to his girlfriend and he had 14 previous convictions for driving while banned from the road.

Peter Hampson, mitigating, said that his client’s girlfriend was unable to drive after suffering a stroke a couple of years previously.

He added: “He said he had no money for a taxi.

“He has his own business making models but it’s been a very bad month and there was no money around.

“He’s under no illusions about the seriousness of the offence.”

District Judge Michael Fanning told Varley that he had put the cat before his own family.

He sentenced him to 16 weeks in custody and banned him from driving for a further year.