A DISQUALIFIED driver seen standing by a car told police his father had been driving the vehicle.

Blackburn magistrates heard the officer drove off but waited up the road and minutes later Tabassum Shah drove past in the same car and was stopped.

Shah, 35, of Waidshouse Road, Nelson, pleaded guilty to driving while disqualified and with excess alcohol on May 12 and driving while disqualified and without insurance on July 20.

The court heard the offences put him breach of a suspended prison sentence imposed for an excess alcohol offence and he was jailed for a total of 32 weeks.

Paul Sumner, prosecuting, said police were directed to a vehicle parked on Brunswick Street following a report of a possible drink driver.

The second offence was spotted by police viewing CCTV footage at the Swap Shop in Nelson in relation to an unrelated matter.

As they watched Shah pulled up outside the shop and emerged from the driver’s seat of the car. He went into the shop to sell a mobile phone.

Mr Sumner said Shah had an extensive record for drink and disqualified driving.

Mark Williams, defending, accepted there had been a previous breach of the suspended sentence which had not resulted in activation.

“That order and his previous record put him in considerable difficulty,” said Mr Williams.

He said on the first occasion the officer clearly suspected Shah was going to drive the car and his suspicions had proved correct.

“At some stage he needs to sort himself out and drive in a legal fashion,” said Mr Williams.

“He had been abstinent from alcohol since October but then there was a relapse."