A motorist has been spared jail after he was caught behind the wheel for a second time while banned from driving.

Andrew Brough, 56, was stopped by police due to the manner of his driving on Richmond Croft in Workington at 12.35am on July 2.

Pamela Fee, prosecuting, told Workington Magistrates’ Court that he seemed to be “evasive” and was identified as being disqualified from driving until January 2023.

Brough admitted to police that he had taken cocaine in the last 24 hours. A drugs wipe gave a positive indication for the drug.

He was taken to the police station and a blood sample was requested but Brough said he wasn’t going to provide one.

Ms Fee said it was a “deliberate refusal” to provide a specimen of blood, likely to be because of the recent cocaine misuse.

The court heard that Brough had been banned from driving in July 2021 and was then convicted of driving while disqualified in December 2021.

A report read out from Brough’s probation officer said he was “anxious he may lose his liberty” and he understood this “may be his last chance”.

MORE FROM COURT: Shoplifter high on drugs stole razors and face cream from supermarket

Mike Woolaghan, defending, described Brough’s record as “not the worst in the world” and said there had been a 7-year gap in offending from 2014 until his last conviction.

He said: “things had started to go wrong” after Brough lost his housing in Carlisle and was required to take alternative accommodation in Workington.

Mr Woolaghan told the court: “He didn’t have a great deal of choice but to accept the offer. Having come to Workington, he becomes isolated from his support network.

“He had difficulties successfully integrating into that community. His windows have been put out and he’s had people challenging him.”

Mr Woolaghan said alcohol and drugs had become part of the defendant’s lifestyle.

Brough, of Coronation Drive, Salterbeck, Workington, pleaded guilty to failing to provide specimen for analysis, driving while disqualified and using a motor vehicle on a road or public place without third party insurance.

He was sentenced to a total of 12 weeks in custody, suspended for 12 months.

Magistrates gave “the realistic chance of rehabilitation” as a reason for suspending the prison sentence and warned Brough that this was “his last chance saloon”.  

He was banned from driving for 54 months and ordered to pay £85 costs and a £154 victim surcharge.

MORE FROM COURT: Suspended prison sentence and three-year ban for harbourside drink-driver