Sunderland mechanic who broke driving ban after just FOUR HOURS told it's his 'lucky day' after being spared jail

Gediminas Lusas, 28, was disqualified by a court in the morning but caught at the wheel in the afternoon.

Lusas, of Riversdale Terrace, Ashbrooke, left his hearing at the latest of 10.30am and was spotted motoring at 2.30pm.

Magistrates in South Tyneside heard he flouted the law by getting behind the wheel of a VW Golf to pop to a shop.

Prosecutor Glenda Beck said Lusas was seen by police in the city’s St Mark’s Road on Thursday, November 3 – and arrested.

And when his uninsured car was towed away, the recovery truck driver found a bag of cannabis hidden inside.

Lusas, who came to the UK from Lithuania two years ago, was spared jail by magistrates who warned they had considered putting him behind bars.

They handed him a fresh year-long driving ban and imposed a 12-month community order, with a requirement of 160 hours of unpaid work.

Mrs Beck said: “Mr Lusas appeared at this court on the morning of November 3 for drug driving.

“He appeared on warrant and received a 12-month disqualification.

“Later that same day, at about 2.30pm, following his attendance at court, he was stopped driving a VW Golf in St Mark’s Road.

“He was seen entering a shop and returning to the vehicle and from the shop. Police saw him drive and arrested him for driving while disqualified.

“There was no insurance on the vehicle and while it was being recovered, the recovery driver found a bag of cannabis in a compartment near the steering wheel.

“He was interviewed by police and accepted the driving disqualified and no insurance but made no comment in regard of the cannabis.

“This is high culpability. He’s driving shortly after the disqualification was imposed, it was only a matter of hours.”

Lusas pleaded guilty to driving while disqualified, driving without insurance and possession of class B cannabis.

Syed Ahmed, defending, said: “He accepts that what he did was totally wrong. After being disqualified, he simply got back inside the vehicle.

“It was a silly move by him. He’s not committed any more offences. He seems to be making some progress.”

Dr Alistair Robson, chair of the bench, told Lusas: “The problem we have is that you were caught driving the same day you were disqualified.

“One of the things our guidelines tell us is that we can send you to prison. We went out to discuss this.

“Today is your lucky day, you’re not going to prison but do this again and another bench probably will send you to prison.”