A disqualified driver who drove his wife's new car home, told a court he was unaware he was banned from the road.

Myles Smith was pulled over by police in Station Road, Charing but was behind the wheel illegally driving his wife's new Ford Ranger home.

Officers stopped him after spotting the pick-up in traffic and finding the vehicle was not insured to be driven by man.

He had previously been banned from driving after becoming a 'totter' having amassed too many points on his licence.

The court heard, Smith had previously failed to inform the police who was driving a vehicle after a road traffic offence was apparently committed.

However, when magistrates banned Smith last year, they did so in his absence and when he appeared at Folkestone Magistrates' Court on January 11, he admitted driving while disqualified and without insurance.

The court heard Smith of Lenham Road, Headcorn near Ashford, was pulled over by police in August last year and that his ban didn't run out until February 27 this year. Smith also told the court he'd not received any paperwork from the courts informing him of his ban.

James Nichols said Smith was disqualified in May last year after failing to tell the police the identify of who was driving a car registered to him and confirmed he was not in court for the matter.

The court also heard Smith co-operated with the police when pulled over and only drove the car because his wife had been uncomfortable driving it home as it was so new and she had asked him to drive the rest of the way home.

District Judge Justin Barron also heard Smith, who owns a renovation company and has four children and is now going through a divorce, had also been banned previously for six months under the totting scheme for other motoring offences.

Judge Borrows placed Smith on a 12 month community order which will see him carry out 80 hours of unpaid work.

He also said eight points would be endorsed on his licence and Smith was also ordered pay a victim surcharge of £114 and £85 costs.