A NORTHWICH man did not realise he was disqualified from driving because his licence had been taken off him while he was in prison.
Leon John Szatkowski, 26, admitted driving off without paying for petrol and driving while disqualified and with no insurance on June 12 and driving while disqualified and with no insurance on June 16, when he appeared before Vale Royal magistrates on Wednesday.
He also admitted driving a Mini Metro on Malpas Road on June 16.
Laurence Bestow, prosecuting, said: 'Po-lice stopped him and found that he was disqualified. He was asked about the same car having driven off from a petrol station in Northwich without paying and he admitted all the offences.'
Mr Bestow said Szatkowski had been disqualified from driving on September 14, 2005, but was not present in court for the hearing because he was in jail.
Defending, Chris Johnson said: 'He was not aware of his disqualification.'
Mr Johnson said Szatkowski had driven off without paying for £25 worth of petrol because he was 'not thinking straight' after going out the night before.
Szatkowski was banned from driving for 12 months for each driving while disqualified charge, which will run concurrently. He was also given a 12-month conditional discharge, fined £100, ordered to pay £25 in compensation and £20 prosecution costs.
