A CITY mum with 'a chaotic' past who was caught driving with no licence and no insurance has vowed to pass her test and stay out of trouble.

Cleo Grace O'Donnell of Worcester, who had previously been 'on the run' from police, says she wants to turn her life around, make a new start and never appear in court again after she abandoned the car she should not have been driving in the first place in the car park of a city supermarket - leaving the keys in the ignition.

The 22-year-old mum of Oldbury Road, St John's, Worcester admitted driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence and driving without insurance on April 21 this year.

Officers spotted her behind the wheel of a silver Skoda Fabia in St John's. A charge of taking a vehicle without the owner's consent has been discontinued.

Owen Beale, prosecuting, said: "Officers found the vehicle in the carpark of the Co-op in St John's with the keys still in the ignition, having left in such haste."

Sam Lamsdale, defending, said her client had accepted driving that day and was in receipt of Universal Credit of £600. Her benefits included an uplift brought in during the Covid-19 pandemic but that will be reduced shortly, the city solicitor told the court.

Mrs Lamsdale said her client now lived in her own rented property and stressed that the court had not been able to ascertain whether O'Donnell already had points on her driving licence.

However, the solicitor accepted there were driving offences in 2019.

"She did express to me that she really does now want to pass her test, get some lessons and become a legal driver" she said. She said O'Donnell was disqualified under the totting up procedure but was 'now eager to become a lawful driver'.

These sentiments were reinforced by O'Donnell herself who spoke to the reporter while the magistrates were in retirement, considering their sentence.

O'Donnell said: "I want to take driving lessons. When I was younger I was a bit chaotic. I just want to be able to do things properly. This is the last time in this court. I want to better myself and turn my life around. That's why I'm moving house and getting away from all this."

Magistrates said this was O'Donnell's second conviction for driving without insurance in the last two years.

They disqualified from driving for four months and fined her £120, down from £180 to reflect her early guilty plea. For driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence they fined her £40, reduced from £60 to factor in her early guilty plea.

O'Donnell was also ordered to pay £135 costs and a £34 victim surcharge. The court ordered a fines collection order to ensure the fines were paid. O'Donnell was also warned that driving while disqualified was a serious offence that could result in a prison sentence.