Banned Chesterfield driver caught behind the wheel again is jailed

Joshua Mann, 23, was already serving a suspended jail term and a 36-month driving ban when he was seen driving towards police in Staveley on February 28.

Chesterfield Magistrates Court heard officers made Mann pull over in a Fiat Ducato as one of them had previously arrested him over matters which led to his disqualification.

Prosecutor Michael Little described how the officer told him “you’re disqualified, wait here” before driving off to deal with another nearby incident.

However Mann replied “it’s been sorted” before driving off “at speed” towards his home address - where police later found him parked on his driveway.

Mann’s solicitor David Gittins said his client had not driven off “at speed” - rather - he had simply driven back to his home address when police left the scene to investigate another crime.

He said there was no evidence of bad driving on the defendant’s part.

He added: “There is a lack of maturity - he sits there like a teenager shrugging his shoulders and he’s clearly embarrassed by what’s happened.”

Mr Gittins said Mann had been to the shops and “did not think police would be there at that time”.

Mann, of Dulwich Court, Barrow Hill, admitted failing to stop, driving while disqualified and while uninsured.

Jailing him for 10 weeks, a magistrate told Mann he had a “blatant disregard for court orders”. He was also ordered to pay a £128 victim surcharge.

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