A banned driver has been jailed after he was caught behind the wheel for the third time.
Police stopped Michael Bates on the A19, near Wallsend, in September last year after checks showed his Audi A4 had false registration plates.
Further enquiries revealed the 35-year-old was also a disqualified driver and had no insurance, a court was told.
Go here for the latest reports and live updates from North East courts
But it was soon discovered that it was the third time Bates had been caught behind the wheel while he was banned and he was actually on a community order for those previous offences at the time.
The motor menace's contempt for court orders has now landed him in a prison cell after he pleaded guilty to driving while disqualified and driving with no insurance.
Locking him up for eight weeks, District Judge Zoe Passfield said: "I have given you credit for your guilty plea, however, this is your third conviction for disqualified driving and you were on a community order at the time of this offence, given for the same offence.
"Almost every offence on your record relates to driving. I'm afraid, you have reached the end of the line."
North Tyneside Magistrates' Court was told that police spotted Bates, of Burnside Avenue, in Annitsford, Northumberland, travelling on the A19 at around 5.10pm on September 4 last year.
Prosecutor, Leanne Duffy, said: "Information was received that the vehicle was using false plates, so it was stopped near Wallsend.
"Officers spoke to the defendant and the vehicle did have false registration plates. Further enquiries showed the defendant was disqualified and had no insurance."
The court heard that Bates was given a 12-month community order for his second driving while disqualified offence in December 2020 but breached the order by committing his latest offence just nine months later.
Kash Khan, defending, said Bates was dealing with some significant family issues and had made the "flash" decision to get behind the wheel to get some space.
He added: "Mr Bates is terrified of going to prison today. He has now given the keys to the car to a neighbour to stop him driving the car again."
Bates was also given a further ban for two years and four weeks and was ordered to pay a £128 victim surcharge.
Sign up to our newsletter for the latest crime and court news in the North East
