A MAN has been jailed after driving to his wife's aid in the early hours of the morning.

Phillip Eland pleaded guilty to driving while disqualified, driving without insurance and drink driving.

Furness Magistrates Court heard on Wednesday that he was driving to collect his wife from Furness General Hospital in Barrow after she had suffered an accident the night before and was taken there.

Ms Maureen Fawcett, defending, said: "She was discharged and sent home in the middle of the night, but she had no way to get back to Millom.

"She rang taxi firms but none of them would take her all that way without pre-payment, but she had no money on her when the accident happened."

In her desperate attempts to find a way home, Eland's wife rang police to take her home, inadvertently alerting them to the possibility of a disqualified driver on the road.

Mr Lee Dacre, prosecuting, said: "He was already banned from driving until December 2019 for an earlier offence.

"He said he knew about this disqualification and was aware only his wife was insured to drive the car."

Eland, 49, of Nelson Street, Millom, was stopped by police on the A590 at the Ellerscales roundabout as he made his way to Barrow.

Ms Fawcett said: "He accepts he had a few pints when he was watching the football earlier.

"He had been asleep when she phoned him crying and looking for help.

"He repeatedly declined but he felt under immense pressure and he went along."

Prior to sentencing, the court heard how the family have struggled since the accident.

Ms Fawcett said: "He is now the only worker and he has a zero-hours contract so he'll lose his job if he's jailed.

"It pays minimal wage but they'll not be able to pay for their rented accommodation without it.

"Since the injury his wife can't even open a tin of beans, and they originate from Scotland so there's no family locally to help out."

Eland was jailed for 70 days concurrently for the driving while disqualified and drink driving offences.

He was also banned from driving for five years and 35 days and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £115.