End of the road for driver who was given last chance

A BANNED driver who couldn’t resist getting behind the wheel of a car has run out of chances to avoid prison.

Thomas Flowers, 33, of Marlborough Road, Beeston, was stopped in Ilkeston last year and falsely gave his brother’s name to the police.

On that occasion he was handed a suspended sentence at Derby Crown Court after admitting charges of perverting the course of justice and driving while disqualified.

But the same court heard how within the space of three days in early December the defendant was twice caught driving in Nottingham.

Jailing him for 11 months, Judge Jonathan Bennett said: “In August last year, you came to this court knowing a custodial sentence was a real possibility and (a different judge) gave you a chance.

“You repaid that by committing identical offences again not once, but twice, in the space of three days.

“On December 4 you were stopped and the police gave you a ticking off.

“They gave you a chance as well and how did you repay that? You repaid that by doing the same thing again on December 7.

“That is why Mr (Samuel) Lowne (his barrister) has a Herculean task if trying to persuade me to give you yet another chance.

“I regret but you’ve run out of chances. Keep away from cars and start doing things legally.”

In August last year, the same court heard how Flowers, then of Firbank Court, Chilwell, was found driving a red Toyota at 1.45am on New Year’s Day in Nottingham Road, Ilkeston.

Already on a three-year disqualification he was given a seven-month sentence, suspended for 18 months, and was disqualified from driving for a further two years.

But Nicola Patten, prosecuting this week, said the defendant, was stopped firstly in Sherwood Rise, Nottingham and then three days later in Faraday Road, Lenton.

She said: “On the second occasion, a drugs swipe was conducted and he tested positive for cocaine and cannabis but no charges have been brought.”

Flowers pleaded guilty to two counts of driving while disqualified, two counts of driving without insurance and one count of breaching the suspended sentence order.

Mr Lowne said his client has found out over Christmas that the defendant’s partner is expecting their child.

He said: “He is not a bad person, in my submission.

“Naive, misguided and stupid maybe, but he’s not a bad person.

“He is asking, through me, for a chance.

“A final chance to prove he can be a real role model for his future son or daughter.”

As well as the jail term, Judge Bennett disqualified Flowers from driving for 17 months.