A KURDISH refugee caught driving without a licence and insurance has been given a conditional discharge.

Newton Aycliffe Magistrates’ Court heard 24-year-old Rabaz Sidwan Raza drove the car as a favour to a friend who was too drunk to drive.

When he was stopped by police on the A688 at Bishop Auckland on December 20, he climbed into the back seat and gave officers false personal details.

In court he pleaded guilty to the driving offences and to obstructing an officer.

The court heard Raza, of Elms West, Sunderland had fled Iraq for Britain aged 17 after his family shop was taken over in an uprising and his father was killed.

Hilary Payne, of the Probation Service, said Raza's English was so poor she was surprised he was not given an interpreter at the police station and that he had no representation in court.

She said he had ongoing an asylum application, so he was entitled to stay in the country until its outcome, but was not allowed to work or claim benefits.

She told the court Raza was living on £35 in food vouchers per week and had recently been moved to Sunderland from Bishop Auckland.

Taking his financial circumstances into account, magistrates gave him a 12-month conditional discharge and ordered six penalty points to be added to any future driving licence.