A banned driver with an appalling record for motoring offences is back behind bars after going on another crime spree.

John Oliver Elijah Seit pleaded guilty to seven charges after he was caught with a stolen electric scooter in the back of his van in April when the firm activated a tracking device on the £5,000 scooter.

Three weeks later, the 41-year-old then attacked a neighbour with a golf club after he alleged that she had wrongfully branded him a 'paedophile'.

Teesside Crown Court heard how Seit had been spotted driving a van in Darlington town centre in March by a police community support worker who recognised him as a banned driver.

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Jonathan Walker said his final set of offending happened on May 24 when Seit was caught on CCTV driving a Citroen Berlingo while officers were investigating an unconnected incident.

Dealing with the most serious incident, Mr Walker said he swung the broken golf club at the woman as she walked to a shop and hit the rear of her legs but his second swipe narrowly missed his victim’s head.

He added: “It seems at that stage the defendant then began to accuse her of being a ‘wrong’un’, the complainant went home and called the police. The defendant then attended her house pleading with her to not call the police.”

Seit, of Pensbury Street, Darlington, pleaded guilty to two counts of driving whilst disqualified; two counts of driving without insurance; a charge of handling stolen goods; common assault; and possession of an offensive weapon.

Peter Thobron, in mitigation, urged the judge to pass a suspended sentence to enable his client to continue to work with the probation service after he successfully completed a previous order.

He added: “It would certainly put him on a knife edge and he has told me that he because of his desire to stay out of trouble, he accepts that risk.”

Recorder Marton Rose jailed Seit for a total of 11-months for all offences.

He added: “It has to be said that you have an unenviable antecedent history, particularly for offences of driving whilst disqualified, your record when it comes to motoring offences is frankly dreadful.

“You have been a disqualified driver now for many, many years and you have served repeated sentences in prison, yet it does not seem to have deterred you.”

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