Sporle man Chris Rowland pleads guilty to four driving offences in Necton at King's Lynn Magistrates' Court

A man was spared prison for driving while disqualified after receiving a phone call about his son taking unwell.

Chris Rowland, 42, of Hills Close in Sporle, pleaded guilty to four offences when he appeared at Lynn Magistrates' Court on Thursday.

They included driving while disqualified, using a mobile phone while driving, driving without a valid MOT, and driving without third party insurance.

Crown prosecutor Ruth Becker informed magistrates that Rowland had been driving on the A47 at Necton on December 4 when he was spotted by police.

The officers ran the Ford van Rowland was driving through their system and realised that he had no valid MOT certificate, and so they followed him as he headed in the direction of a nearby service station.

While doing so, they noticed him using a black mobile phone at his right ear while driving - and it "transpired" that he was also disqualified at the time.

Miss Becker said the van came to a stop and police interviewed the defendant at the roadside. He admitted to the offences.

In mitigation, solicitor George Sorrell made reference to Rowland's previous convictions, which acted as aggravating factors on Thursday due to many being related to driving.

He has previously been imprisoned for four weeks for similar matters.

"I have to face the fact in advising him, he has a very poor record of driving offences," Mr Sorrell said.

However, he also made reference to a "great deal of unhappiness" Rowland is currently facing, partly brought on by two relationships he had coming to an end.

The solicitor added that on the day of his offences he had received a call from the mother of his son, during which she told him the child had taken ill.

She thought their son had possibly contracted the bacterial infection Streptococcus and needed to attend hospital.

"That is why he was out and about in the van," Mr Sorrell said.

He added that Rowland felt "genuine remorse", and asked magistrates to avoid any custodial sentence if they could.

Probation officer John O'Grady spoke to Rowland, and told magistrates that the defendant had wanted to have another person insured to drive the van on the day of his offences.

However, that person could not get there in time and he therefore opted to drive himself.

Mr O'Grady added that probation officers are not supposed to suggest suspended sentences, but in Rowland's case he felt it would be justified.

This was due to the fact that Rowland runs a business which employs three people and because the children he supports would be left "without any pennies" if he were behind bars.

Magistrates opted against sending him to prison, and handed him an eight-week custodial sentence suspended for 12 months.

He was also ordered to complete 150 hours of unpaid work and 15 rehabilitation activity days.

Rowland will also pay a £156 victim surcharge, and for driving while disqualified he had six points added to his licence.

His current ban does not end until mid-2025, and so magistrates opted not to extend it any further.

Lead magistrate Pat Isbill said: "That gives you a little bit of light at the end of the tunnel to get your licence back."