A banned Dereham driver with no insurance who was caught behind the wheel said he only drove because he was concerned for his father's safety.

A court heard Luke Robotham had had a row with his dad who had then suggested he was 'going to do something silly'.

Prosecutor Josephine Jones told King's Lynn Magistrates' Court on Monday, December 31 that police officers felt Robotham, 31, was driving too quickly for the conditions when he was spotted in a Vauxhall Zafira on November 24.

She added: 'They felt that he might have been trying to evade them.'

Robotham was pulled over in Tebbutts Avenue and gave his brother's name and a date of birth.

Police checks confirmed there was no one by that name with that date of birth.

Robotham then admitted who he was and that he was a disqualified driver.

Miss Jones said in an interview, he told police he had given his brother's details because 'he wanted to get away with it'.

Robotham, of Humbletoft Road, pleaded guilty to driving while disqualified, having no insurance and obstructing a police officer in the execution of their duty.

In mitigation, solicitor George Sorrell told magistrates: 'What he did that evening was out of concern for his father.

'They had a row and his father, who suffers from depression and one or two health difficulties, had indicated that he might do something silly.

'The driving was out of panic to prevent that.'

Mr Sorrell said other disqualified drivers are brought before the court and it is sometimes obvious that they have been driving often while banned.

He added: 'I'm asking you to be satisfied that this was a one-off situation.'

Robotham, who is banned until March and is close to completing a community order, told the court: 'I didn't mean to do it.

'It was just because of my dad.'

For driving while disqualified and obstructing a police officer he was sentenced concurrently to a 12-month community order for 100 hours' unpaid work.

He was also given six penalty points, and for having no insurance, his licence will be endorsed.

He was also told to pay £85 costs and £85 victim surcharge.