A MAN who defied a driving ban escaped jail yesterday after pleas from his mother and the mother of his child.

Christopher Hollowed, 37, appeared before Harrogate magistrates for sentence after admitting driving while disqualified and without insurance and obstructing police.

Magistrates deferred punishment in May to allow Hollowed to prove he could go straight, keep a job and kick a long-term drugs habit.

Yesterday his solicitor Geoffrey Boothby said that Hollowed was now largely off illegal drugs, had a steady job and had not offended again. He and his partner had a stable home life with their son, who had been born less than a month after the offences.

Presiding magistrate Janet Frankland sentenced Hollowed to undertake 220 hours of unpaid community work for defying the driving ban with concurrent work periods of 20 hours for each of the other two offences. A two-year driving ban was also imposed.

She added: ''This is almost as bad as it gets without going to prison."