A FORMER soldier who drove himself to work despite being banned from driving has appeared in court.

Steven Fuller, 29, of Grice Court, Staindrop, pleaded guilty to driving while disqualified and without insurance when he appeared before Darlington Magistrates’ Court today (Thursday, May 23).

Prosecutor Lynne Dalton told the court that Fuller was stopped by officers on the A67 at Darlington on May 9 who discovered he was serving a driving ban.

Ms Dalton said Fuller was given the 40-month disqualification in June last year for drink-driving.

The court heard that Fuller worked as a forklift truck driver in Leeming Bar near Northallerton and was normally driven to work by a colleague.

However, his colleague called to say he was not working that day, so Fuller decided to drive himself despite knowing he was banned.

Mo Sibert of the probation service said Fuller had served seven successful years in the army and that arriving late for work would not have sat well with his training and his work ethic.

She said: “He needed to get to work, he doesn’t want to lose his job, and his thought process about how to get to work has landed him in court.”

Magistrates endorsed his licence with six points and ordered him to pay £85 court costs and a £60 victim surcharge.