A JUDGE decided not a ban a taxi driver from the road after hearing he would lose his job.

But Judge David McEvoy QC jailed Stephen White for three months.

White, aged 53, of of Bromsgrove Road, Redditch, pleaded guilty to attempting to pervert the course of justice.

He supplied details of a woman he claimed was driving a minibus when he was caught in a speed trap, said Tom Walkling, prosecuting at Worcester Crown Court. When she received a summons, she went to police and White's lie was exposed.

He claimed it was "an honest mistake" but under totting-up would have been banned for six months because of previous penalty points on his licence, said Mr Walkling.

White had attempted to mislead the police in a bid to keep his licence, said his barrister Jason Aris. White was a single divorcee and work "was his life". He was very fearful of finding another job.

"This offence was borne out of stupidity rather than maliciousness," added Mr Aris.

He asked for a community penalty but the judge said White had been involved in "shilly shallying" over whether his crime was deliberate or an accident.

He added: "If I banned him, he would probably find it extremely difficult to regain employment."