A WAGON driver who spilled his load on Rochdale Road, Bury, could face a prison sentence after appearing before magistrates on a charge of driving while disqualified and other motoring offences.

Terence Dale (43) was said to have a "horrendous" record of 108 offences, including 14 previous convictions for driving while disqualified, five for driving while under the influence of excess alcohol and six for failing to provide a specimen.

He admitted driving in Rochdale Road, while subject to a three-year ban, failing to provide a specimen of breath for analysis when required, driving without insurance, and obtaining a job under false pretences.

He was remanded in custody by Bury magistrates until August 5 while pre-sentence reports were prepared.

Mrs Gill Hindle, prosecuting, said that Dale, from Birmingham, had obtained the job driving for Tipton Transport but failed to disclose his record. He was driving a Fodens HGV in Rochdale Road on July 15 and had reached the junction with Pimhole Road when up to six tons of steel rods spilled into the carriageway.

A police patrol attended the scene and concluded Dale had been drinking. He failed to provide a breath specimen at the scene or at the police station.

Dale had been driving for the company for two weeks. He had been to a pub in Bury and had a few drinks and had gone back to check his wagon.

Dale said he saw tinkers hanging around with a torchlight so he decided to move the vehicle. He believed the tinkers had already tampered with the load because it had previously been secured.

Defending solicitor, Miss Barbara Booth, said father-of-one Dale had been out of work for three years and prior to that had suffered the trauma of his wife being murdered in Birmingham by a serial killer.

She said Dale had obtained his job and not disclosed his driving ban because "he was short of money and decided to take a risk".