A father has been spared an immediate prison sentence after being caught drink driving for a second time, while awaiting a court appearance for driving while disqualified.

Benjamin Jason Ward, of Tupperfield, Ipswich, was stopped by police officers on Melbourne Road, in Lowestoft, on October 16 2018 in his father's Ford Transit van, despite being banned from driving and having no insurance.

After being bailed to attend court at a later date, Ward was then stopped again, this time on Acle New Road in Great Yarmouth on April 10.

Appearing before magistrates on April 12, Ward admitted new charges of driving while disqualified, without insurance, drink driving, taking the van without the owner's consent and possession of diazepam.

He returned to Great Yarmouth Magistrates' Court on May 1 to be sentenced, as well as pleading guilty to the two October offences.

Ward had been banned from driving in May 2018 for 15 months after admitting drink driving.

Christopher Bentley, mitigating, said: 'He has reached his own personal rubicon. If he could go back and change things he would.

'He has made more progress in his life in the last three weeks than up to that point. He has grown up.

'He wants to make a new life in Ipswich with his son and he is due to start a new job on Friday.

'He has stopped drinking alcohol since this incident.'

Ward was stopped on April 10 with 80 microgrammes of alcohol in 100ml of breath. The legal limit is 35 microgrammes.

Magistrates' opted to defer Ward's sentencing for three months in order to allow him to continue his progress. The interim disqualification from driving imposed after he admitted drink driving on April 10 will continue.