A PENSIONER has been banned from driving -despite telling magistrates the loss of his licence would lead to his death.

John Kassell, 84, from Hudswell, near Richmond, was seen by police driving his Peugeot 405 erratically in Brompton-on-Swale on May 11.

Checks revealed he had no insurance or MoT certificate.

Kassell admitted the charges at Northallerton Magistrates' Court yesterday, and said: "When I bought the car, I couldn't get any insurance because nobody would take me, as I am over 70.

"I thought if that is the way things are, I will just carry on (without insurance)."

Eight penalty points were added to his driving licence.

Because he already had seven points from a previous offence, magistrates told Kassell he would be disqualified unless he could show it would cause exceptional hardship.

Kassell told the court he did not need his car, but that tractors were his hobby.

He said he managed an area of woodland near Richmond on a voluntary basis and needed his licence to drive his tractor to the land.

He said: "I would stagnate without it; it would finish me off straight away.

"I would not have any energy to do anything. I would finish up in a home like a cabbage.

"I am safe on the road with a tractor."

However, magistrates rejected the plea for leniency and disqualified him from driving for six months.

Magistrates chairman Ian Robson said: "You did drive this car erratically -the policeman saw you winding around the road.

"The position is that you went out and drove the car when you knew you had no insurance.

"We have a lot of sympathy with the hobby you have and the voluntary work you do. We do not agree that exceptional hardship applies."

Mr Robson told Kassell that if he did nothing wrong, he would be driving his tractor again within six months.

Kassell replied: "I will be dead by then."

He was also fined £200 and ordered to pay £45 costs.