A banned motorist was caught by police driving to help a friend in need, a court heard.

Sean Danny Lee McStravick, 29, was previously banned from getting behind the wheel.

He ended up in court after he was stopped by police on patrol while driving in Barrow on January 27.

McStravick, of Broad Close, pleaded guilty to driving while disqualified, driving without insurance and driving with no MoT test certificate when he appeared in the dock at South Cumbria Magistrates’ Court.

The court heard his Ford Focus had been picked up by police on Abbey Road during a patrol. Officer conducted a check on the vehicle, which revealed he had no insurance and that he was disqualified from driving.

The court heard in his defence he was responding to a 'call for help' from a friend in need.

Magistrates were told the defendant had previously been banned until November. The MoT on the car had also expired.

McStravick was told to complete 120 hours of unpaid work and banned from driving for 20 months. He has 10 months left on his current ban.

He received no separate penalty for the other offences.