A SCRAP metal merchant caught flouting a driving ban six times is now behind bars after he told police 'I need to drive for work'.

A district judge's patience finally ran out with George Morrissey for his rule-breaking and he was given an immediate prison sentence earlier this month.

The 30-year-old, who appeared over prison videolink, admitted driving while disqualified and driving without insurance on the A449 at Blackpole in Worcester on May 27 this year when he pleaded guilty before city magistrates on Thursday.

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His solicitor, Mark Turnbull, revealed that his client had already been jailed for six months for five identical offences from April 13, May 1, May 19, July 17 and September 3 by a district judge.

The Blackpole matter had not been sentenced alongside the others. The Crown is now pursuing a criminal behaviour order against Morrissey which the defendant intends to contest.

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Ralph Robyns-Landricombe, prosecuting, said Morrissey was pulled over in Blackpole on May 27 this year in his Fiat van, flouting a driving ban which was due to expire on September 24 this year.

He said: "Mr Morrissey stated he needed to drive for work. He was aware he was disqualified from driving having not been in court but made aware thereafter."

Mr Robyns-Landricombe said Morrissey made full and frank admissions in the the police car. At the time he was carrying a passenger, considered an aggravating feature by the Crown.

The defendant also has previous convictions for driving while disqualified from 2009. He is a totter with more than 12 points on his licence already.

Mark Turnbull, defending, asked that his client be given full credit for entering guilty pleas 'at the first time of asking' and that he was 'entitled to full credit'.

The solicitor explained that Morrissey was jailed for six months by a district judge sitting at Kidderminster Magistrates Court on September 6 for five offences of driving while disqualified, some of those committed while he was on bail.

"He was trying to build a business in scrap metal collection, his income supplemented by Universal Credit" said Mr Turnbull.

Morrissey, of Ross Crescent, Inkberrow had also already been disqualified in his absence by Birmingham magistrates when he appeared before the district judge in Kidderminster earlier this month.

Jailed for six months, Morrissey's earliest release date is December 5 this year after serving half that sentence in prison. The district judge also imposed a driving ban of two years with a three month extension - the extension so the ban will begin as soon as Morrissey is released at the halfway point of his six month sentence.

Worcester magistrates imposed a 28 day prison sentence for the latest driving while disqualified. This will be served concurrently to the sentence he is already serving and therefore will not effect his release date.

His licence will be endorsed with six penalty points for driving without insurance. A case management hearing to consider the making of a criminal behaviour order will take place at the court on November 5 at 2pm.